Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Saturday, April 11, with over 1,000 head of cattle on offer in the sale.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Carnew Mart's David Quinn said that there was "an especially large entry of store cattle, attracting plenty of farmer buyers seeking store heifers and bullocks for grazing".

He said that the prices paid at the weekend sale for some of the higher-quality forward stores "improved by €30-50/head compared to recent sales".

Some of the top bullock prices from the sale:

Belgian Blue bullock weighing 700kg sold for €2,850 or €4.07/kg;
Belgian Blue bullock weighing 604kg sold for €2,800 or €4.64/kg;
Charolais bullock weighing 608kg sold for €2,700 or €4.44/kg;
Three Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 334kg sold for €1,900 or €5.69/kg;
Six Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 543kg sold for €1,640 or €5.43/kg;
Six Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 307kg sold for €1,630 or €5.30/kg.

Forward store cattle destined for further feeding, along with finished beef cattle, met a steady trade in line with previous weeks, Quinn said.

There were 150 bull weanlings on offer in the sale and the mart manager said that there was "active demand from livestock exporters around the ring" particularly for strong, well-developed animals".

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

738kg Salers bull sold for €2,770 or €3.75kg;
496kg Limousin bull sold for €2,220 or €4.48/kg;
Two Salers bulls with an average weight of 560kg sold for €2,200/head or €3.93kg;
Two Belgian Blue bulls with an average weight of 340kg sold for €1,890 or €5.56/kg;
Limousin bull weighing 288kg sold for €1,570 or €5.45/kg.

Bull weanlings in the 350-420kg range "were especially sought after", resulting in a complete clearance overall in the sale on the day, according to the mart staff.

In the cull cow sale, one of the top prices per head went to an 842kg Charolais cow that made €3,330 or €3.95/kg.

Another 804kg Limousin cow sold for €3,060 or €3.81/kg. Another Charolais cow weighing 556kg sold for €2,100 or €3.78/kg and a 510kg Hereford cow sold for €1,890 or €3.71/kg.

In the heifer sale, one of the top prices per head went to a pair of Belgian Blue heifers with an average weight of 763kg that sold for €2,970 or €3.89/kg.

The highest price per kg in the heifer sale went to a lighter 282kg Belgian Blue heifer that sold for €1,410 or €5.00/kg.

A 366kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,740 or €4.57/kg and another heavier Charolais heifer weighing 694kg sold for €2,880 or €4.15/kg.