There were over 700 head of cattle on offer at Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow on Saturday, May 9.

Commenting on the sale, Carnew Mart's Eugene Clune said that there was "a slightly smaller sale" of cattle at the most recent weekend event, with approximately 720 head on offer.

Farmers who have been watching mart prices will have noticed the trade for heavier cattle easing somewhat in the second half of last week in particular, with this trend also evident at the Carnew Mart weekend sale.

Clune said: "Beef and forward cattle met a similar trade to last week, although prices continue to feel pressure from current factory quotes."

Lighter-type bullocks reached €5.87/kg for a 293kg Limousin bullock that made €1,720.

Heavier bullocks reached €4.09/kg for an 826kg Limousin bullock that made €3,380.

Other top bullock prices from the sale:

854kg Limousin-cross bullock sold for €3,420 or €4.00/kg/
882kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,380 or €3.83/kg;
870kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,280 or €3.77/kg;
332kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,860 or €5.60/kg.

Clune said that there was a stronger demand around the ring for lighter store heifers, "particularly those in the lower price brackets".

A 278kg Limousin-cross heifer sold for €1,530 or €5.50/kg and another 192kg Hereford-cross heifer sold for €1,000 or €5.21/kg.

Other top heifer prices from the sale:

590kg Parthenaise-cross heifer sold for €2,530 or €4.29/kg;
594kg Limousin-cross heifer sold for €2,470 or €4.16/kg;
664kg Limousin-cross heifer sold for €2,420 or €3.64/kg;
604kg Charolais-cross heifer sold for €2,420 or €4.01/kg.

The lighter store bullocks on offer in the sale were "in big demand, driven by farmers sourcing cattle for grass", Clune said.

Some of the top cow prices from the sale:

816kg Limousin cow sold for €2,840 or €3.48/kg;
816kg Charolais cow sold for €2,780 or €3.41/kg;
762kg Limousin cow sold for €2,680 or €3.52/kg;
662kg Parthenaise cow sold for €2,370 or €3.58/kg;
716kg Blonde D'Aquitaine cow sold for €2,320 or €3.24/kg;
702kg Simmental cow sold for €2,260 or €3.22/kg.

The sale features a large number of strong, quality-type beef bullocks. These sold from €3.80-€4.10/kg liveweight.

There was a smaller entry of bulls on offer, with 110 head presented.

"Bulls met a very sharp trade, with prices fully maintained and, in some cases, slightly dearer," Clune said.

Some of the top prices paid for bulls in the sale:

776kg Simmental bull sold for €2,750 or €3.54/kg;
490kg Charolais bull sold for €2,660 or €5.43/kg;
472kg Limousin bull sold for €2,660 or €5.64/kg;
662kg Simmental bull sold for €2,380 or €3.60/kg;
364kg Belgian Blue bull sold for €2,200 or €6.04/kg;
344kg Limousin bull sold for €1,940 or €5.64/kg.

Most continental bulls in the sale sold between €5.00-€5.50/kg, while top-quality export-type bulls sold for up to €7.00/kg.