Cattle of all classes were highly sought after at the Beattie’s Livestock weekly sale in Draperstown Mart last Friday with fat cows in particular, being an outstanding trade.Prices were buoyed by a big turnout of buyers standing ringside, as well as strong bidding interest from online customers adding to competition for stock.
Cattle of all classes were highly sought after at the Beattie’s Livestock weekly sale in Draperstown Mart last Friday with fat cows in particular, being an outstanding trade.
Prices were buoyed by a big turnout of buyers standing ringside, as well as strong bidding interest from online customers adding to competition for stock.
Fat cows kicked off the sale and were an easy sell.
Quality was exceptional with a sizeable number of animals being sold off grass.
Prices topped 280p on a per kilo basis with a heavy fleshed 2018 born Charolais weighing 820kg selling for £2,296.
That was followed by 276p/kg for a 2018 born Limousin cow weighing 800kg, giving a sale value of £2,208.
Good quality suckler types carrying plenty of flesh generally sold from 230p to 260p/kg with the higher end of this price range easier to come by on heavy lots and younger cows.
Feeding cows
Beef bred cows suited to a short finishing period were also in demand and prices typically ranged from 190p to 220p/kg.
Standout entries saw an Angus cow weighing 800kg make 216p/kg or £1,728, while Hereford cross animals made 196p/kg, with £1,509 paid for a 770kg lot.
Plainer continental types also sold within this price range, as Limousin and Charolais types coming off grass made 196p to 212p/kg for animals between 650kg and 700kg liveweight.
Dairy cows
There was a limited number of dairy cows forwarded and as was the general trend with sucklers, younger animals in good flesh were easily sold with prices of 160p to 190p/kg paid for such cows.
Older cows and those requiring a longer feeding period were a slower trade, as reflected in prices running from just over 100p/kg to 130p/kg.
This May 2019 born Limousin cow weighing 720kg sold for 216p/kg (£1,555).
This April 2018 born Limousin cow weighing 680kg sold for 238p/kg (£1,618).
This January 2017 born Hereford cow weighing 770kg sold for 196p/kg (£1.509).
This June 2020 born Blonde D'Aquitaine cow weighing 820kg sold for 240p/kg (£1,968).
This June 2021 born Stabiliser cow weighing 620kg sold for 228p/kg (£1,413).
This May 2018 born Charolais cow weighing 750kg sold for 248p/kg (£1,860).
This January 2018 born Limousin cow weighing 800kg sold for 276p/kg (£2,208).
This April 2015 born Charolais cow weighing 760kg sold for 218p/kg (£1,656).
This September 2019 born Limousin cow weighing 650kg sold for 260p/kg (£1,690).
This May 2019 born Charolais cow weighing 800kg sold for 260p/kg (£2,080).
This May 2018 born Charolais cow weighing 820kg sold for 280p/kg (£2,296).
Read more
Dairy Management: what to do with high grass covers?
NI Trends: cattle kill hits record high; lamb quotes continue to rise
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: