Firm mart prices are helping to maintain high numbers for the time of year, with 720 cattle presented for sale at Omagh Mart last Monday 26 May, with a 99% clearance rate achieved.

Bullocks over 500kg topped out at £2,750, 362p/kg for a May 23-born Charolais at 758kg. Other leading prices saw 446p/kg paid for a 578kg animal which made £2,310.

Lighter bullocks sold to £2,050, 440p/kg for a 465kg animal, with £1,450 being achieved for a 310kg bullock at 468p/kg.

Heifers peaked at £2,250, 350p/kg for a 640kg Limousin while a 520kg animal made £1,990, 383p/kg.

This Charolais steer, with a birth date of 11 May 2024, weighed 618kg and sold for £2,340, 378p/kg.

Lighter sorts were trading to £1,880, 400p/kg for 470kg, while a 450kg heifer made 413p/kg, £1,860.

Fat cows peaked at £2,822, 336p/kg, paid for an 840kg lot, while a September 2022-born Limousin sold for 356p/kg, £1,958.

Demand for reared calves continues to be very strong across all marts including in Omagh last Monday.

A packed ringside saw a March-born Aberdeen Angus bull get to even money at £1,000, closely followed by a Limousin bull at £960 and another Angus at £950. The majority of good-quality reared calves were trading between £650 and £800.

This group of three August 2023 born Charolais heifers weighed 280kg to 325kg and sold for £1,260 to £1,470 or 450p to 475p/kg.

Breeding stock were also in demand with a first calving two-year-old Salers cow with a three-week-old Limousin bull calf at foot making £3,540.