Farmers reap rewards at Markethill Livestock Sale with strong demand for quality dairy stock and cull cows

Farmers from across the Armagh area were met with a strong trade at Markethill Livestock Sale on Tuesday, October 20, as buyers competed for quality dairy stock, cull cows and calves.

An entry of 70 dairy animals included calved heifers, young cows, in-calf heifers and maiden heifers. Calved heifers sold to a top price of £3,880 for a Banbridge farmer, with the same producer also securing £3,450, £3,440, £3,420 and £3,400. A Whitecross farmer enjoyed a particularly successful trade, selling calved heifers for £3,340, £3,260, £3,240, £3,080 and £3,040. Several other lots sold between £2,400 and £2,600.

In-calf heifers due to calve between January and March also attracted strong buyer interest. A Banbridge farmer received a top price of £2,720, with others sold at £2,580, £2,550, £2,440 and £2,340. A Jerrettspass producer sold several in-calf heifers to a high of £2,680, while top-quality maiden heifers from Banbridge reached £2,040 and generated excellent demand throughout the sale.

The cull cow trade remained exceptionally strong, with an entry of 80 cows meeting keen competition from buyers. An Armagh farmer topped the beef-bred section when a 710kg cow sold for £2,260 at 318p/kg. The same producer received £2,540 for an 810kg cow and £2,320 for a 746kg cow. Beef-bred cows generally sold from 275p/kg to 306p/kg.

Dairy-bred cows also met a steady trade. A Crumlin farmer sold a 674kg cow for £1,680 at 249p/kg, while a Glenanne producer secured £1,470 for a 598kg animal at 246p/kg. Well-fleshed dairy cows generally sold between 220p/kg and 238p/kg.

Meanwhile, more than 200 calves passed through the ring, with demand remaining extremely strong. Bull calves under eight weeks old sold to a top of £990 for an Aberdeen Angus calf from an Aughnacloy farmer. The same vendor also received £930, while a Glenanne producer sold Charolais bull calves for £970, £950 and £920. The top eight bull calves averaged an impressive £903 per head.

Friesian bull calves sold readily, reaching £350 on several occasions, while quality animals generally made between £250 and £300. Heifer calves peaked at £850 for a Charolais calf from a Glenanne farmer, with further sales at £820 and £790. Good-quality heifer calves generally sold from £550 to £700.

A large entry of reared calves also attracted plenty of buyer interest, selling to a top of £1,290 for a Belgian Blue calf. Other leading prices included £1,220 for an Aberdeen Angus and £1,150 for a Belgian Blue, with numerous lots selling between £900 and £1,110.

The sale once again highlighted the strong demand for quality livestock in the Armagh area, with producers rewarded by a competitive trade across all sections.