Marts are only now starting to get back into action throughout the country. With much controversy surrounding the young bull trade at the moment, the trade around the country doesn’t seem too badly effected. Most marts report a good trade last week with numbers starting to increase.
Here’s a snapshot of the activity in a number of marts:
Castlerea, Roscommon
According to Brendan Egan, mart manager in Castlerea, 550 cattle presented for sale last week with good demand for quality store cattle.
He noted the heifer trade in particular was strong with good quality lots on offer providing a very lively trade.
Bullocks also had strong demand especially for in spec stock. Weanlings and breeding stock also reported good demand resulting in a good clearance on the day.
Sample prices from the day included:
Bullocks: Ch 435kgs €1070 Ch 410kg €1000 Ch 540kgs €1220 Ch 510kgs €1175 Ch 635kgs €1450 Ch 560kgs €1245
Heifers: BBX 390kgs €1090 Ch405kgs €1055 Lim 440kgs €1105 Ch 630kgs €1530 Ch 580kgs €1455 Ch 605kgs €1505 DRY COWS: Lim 660kgs €1185 AA 735kgs €1240 Lim 820kgs €1415 Hrx 420kgs €760 Fr 450kgs €380
Cows with calves at foot made from €1280 to €1650 per head.
Springer cows made from €850 to €1300 per head.
Calves : Sim hfr €390 Sim bull €360 Ch bull €50 Fr bull €125 Lmx bull €185
Weanling Heifers: Sim 245kgs €725 Ch 265kgs €730 Lim 315kgs €885 Chx 390kgs €890 BBX 375kgs €900
Weanling Bulls: Ch 280kgs €845 BBX 285kgs €750 Hrx 260kgs €690 BBx 425kgs €1130 Lim 285kgs €750
Ballinakill, Laois
The Latest mart Report from Ballinakill form its sale last Saturday outlines a reduced sale in terms of size, but a better sale in regard to prices. According to the report “small fancy stores” were in great demand. It highlights a 400kg store bullock making €1,000 and a 420kg heifer making €1,000 as examples of this.
On the day heavy bullock’s 700-900kgs were making €1.85/kg to €2.30/kg. Forward Stores mostly continentals were making €1.80/kg to €2.35/kg. Lighter stores were getting €1.75/kg to €2.40/kg.
On the heifer side heavy beef heifers were ranging €1.90/kg to €2.20/kg. Lighter store heifers were making €1.80/kg to €2.10/kg.
In terms of weanlings, Bulls were averaging €1.70/kg to €2.05/kg and heifers €1.60 to €2.00. while dry cows were being sold at €1.10/kg to as high as €1.70/kg
Balla, Mayo
The latest mart report from Balla after its most recent sale on Saturday outlined that there were over 500 lots on offer.
According to mart manager Michael Murphy there was some good prices paid especially for heifers but in general all cattle were a good trade.
A highlight on the day was a top quality 920kg Charolais bullock which made €1800 that’s €880 with its weight. In general heavy bullocks were making €400 to €800 with their weight or €1.74/kg to €2.85/kg while lighter plainer types were making around €400 to €600 with their weights or €2.03/kg to €2.77/kg.
On the day light heifers less than 400kg were making €1.30/kg to €2.88/kg. Heavy heifers made from €1.71/kg to €2.77/kg. One top quality Char 645kg made €1550 that’s €905 with its weight.
There were 76 cows on offer last Saturday. In terms of breeding stock one four year old 2nd calf AAX cow time incalf made €1,530. On the cull cow side a highlight was an eight year old dry cow 980KG Charolais made €1,800.
Balla report 130 weanlings on offer last Saturday. Light Bulls averaged from €500 to €600 with their weights or €2.14/kg to €2.85/kg for weanlings less than 350kg. Heavier bulls made €1.89/kg to €2.73/kg with their weight.
In terms of heifers light heifers averaged from €1.89/kg to €3.11/kg for weanlings less than 350kg or €400 to €600 with their weights. Heavier lots made from €300 to €680 with their weights or €1.89/kg to €2.96/kg.
Ennis, Clare
The latest cattle sale report from Ennis outlines that numbers are increasing on previous weeks and it highlighted that again there was a big entry of cull cows.
Ennis report that the trade improved all round by about €30 per head with more customers for all categories of stock and it plans to have two rings in operation for this Thursday.
In terms of prices bullocks: €300 to €750 over their weight. Highlights were two CHX 692kgs which made €1540, Lim 515kgs made €1210, two Lim 610kgs made €1330 and two Hex 700kgs bullocks made €1265.
Heifers were selling for €280 to €700 over their weight on the day. Sample prices include: 2 Lim 445kgs – €1015, 1 Hex 500kgs -€1000, 1 Lim 590kgs – €1290 1 Lim 345kgs – €795, 1 CH 500kgs – €1150 1 CH 405kgs – €900
Ennis reported a large amount of cull cows on offer. Prices were in the region of €150 under to €705 over their weight. Sample prices include: 1 Lim 810kgs – €1515, 1 Fr 715kgs -€965, 1 CH 810kgs – €1460, 1 BBX 660kgs -€1155, 1 Hex 720kgs – €985, 1 CH 580kgs – €1120.
Image: O’Gorman photography
