A number of "phenomenal prices" for suckler-bred cattle have been achieved at Elpin Mart, Co Roscommon, over the past week, according to the mart's manager Ciaran Lynch.

Speaking to Agriland, the mart manager explained the big prices were achieved for weanling bulls and heifers on Monday, February 5, and for breeding heifers last Wednesday, January 31.

In the show and sale of breeding heifers, there were over 250 entries with the top-two priced heifers making €7,700 and €7,600 respectively.

Commenting on the trade for breeding heifers, Ciaran Lynch said: "It was unbelievable because you had northern and southern buyers. Them good heifers went to the north. Out of the 270 breeding heifers on offer, 58 of them went to customers in the north.

"All the top-end prices were given by northern customers, The average price per kilo in the breeding heifer sale was €3.80/kg.

The weanling sale at Elphin Mart took place on Bank Holiday Monday, February 5, with an exceptional trade seen in the sale also.

Top prices from the weanling bull sale:

400kg Belgian Blue bull sold for €1,750 or €4.38/kg;
455kg Charolais bull sold for €1,750 or €3.85.kg;
475kg Limousin bull sold for €1,750 or €3.68/kg;
465kg Limousin bull sold for €1,730 or €3.72/kg;
465kg Charolais bull sold for €1,700 or €3.66/kg;
510kg Charolais bull sold for €1,660 or €3.25/kg;
430kg Belgian Blue bull sold for €1,610 or €3.74/kg;
425kg Limousin bull sold for €1,590 or €3.74/kg.

The mart manager explained: "The shippers and bull beef finishers bought most of the bulls while the farmers gave the big money for the weanling heifers.

While the northern customers were helping to drive the trade in the breeding heifer sale, no cattle went north from the weanling sale.

Some of the top weanling heifer prices:

370kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,960 or €5.29/kg;
375kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,800 or €4.80/kg;
345kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,680 or €4.87/kg;
415kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,680 or €4.05/kg;
375kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,600 or €4.27/kg;
325kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €1,600 or €4.92/kg.

"There was some farmers averaged over €4.00/kg for their weanlings. Everyone was happy and no calves went home unsold," he added.

Elphin Mart is set to host a store and beef heifer sale today, Wednesday, February 7, with over 600 cattle expected in the sale.

The mart will also host its annual show and sale of bullocks next Wednesday, February 14, with a large selection of quality cattle expected in the sale also.