Over the past week, mart managers have reported larger cattle sales taking place across the country. Additionally, they have also noted the presence of additional buyers at the ringside.

Many managers have reported improvements across the board, but demand is still best for forward store types.

Factory buyers are still active at the ringside, while some managers have noted that exporters are in the market for good-quality Belgian Blue weanlings destined for the Italian market.

There are also reports of plainer-type cattle improving. However, poor-quality, dairy-influenced stock are still the hardest sell.

Kilkenny Mart

George Candler – Kilkenny Mart auctioneer – reported that there was a good yard of cattle on Thursday last and outlined that quality lots have continued to sell well.

He also noted that there was more life to the Friesian bullock trade – especially for British Friesian types.

Aberdeen Angus and Hereford types also witnessed an improvement, as a result of good weather conditions, according to the well-known auctioneer.

With a sharp trade all round reported, beef bullocks sold for €1,110-1,820/head and lots falling into the 500-600kg weight bracket made €700-1,440/head.

Lighter store bullocks (400-500kg) traded for €600-1,260/head, while bullocks weighing less than 400kg made €480-970/head.

Sample steer prices:
  • Charolais: 880kg – €1,820 or €2.07/kg;
  • Friesian: 665kg – €1,260 or €1.89/kg;
  • Limousin: 580kg – €1,440 or €2.48/kg;
  • Hereford: 595kg – €1,200 or €2.02/kg;
  • Charolais: 465kg – €1,140 or €2.45/kg;
  • Limousin: 410kg – €1,025 or €2.50/kg;
  • Limousin: 390kg – €970 or €2.49/kg;
  • Hereford: 380kg – €730 or €1.92/kg.

Moving to the heifer trade, the heavier beef lots sold for €1,050-1,500/head, forward store heifers made €750-1,190/head and lighter store heifers fetched €450-940/head.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Charolais: 660kg – €1,490 or €2.26/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 525kg – €1,130 or €2.15/kg;
  • Limousin: 480kg – €1,195 or €2.49/kg;
  • Charolais: 515kg – €1,240 or €2.41/kg;
  • Hereford: 365kg – €750 or €2.05/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 395kg – €770 or €1.95/kg.

In addition, Friesian cull cows made €0.80-1.50/kg and continental types fetched €1.30-2.30/kg.

Ballinrobe Mart

A large cattle sale took place at Ballinrobe Mart on Wednesday last, October 17, and a good trade all round – amidst the good weather conditions and large number of farmers in the market for stock – was reported.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Limousin: 545kg – €1,380 or €2.53/kg;
  • Charolais: 490kg – €1,255 or €2.56/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 395kg – €1,085 or €2.75/kg;
  • Belgian Blue: 300kg – €835 or €2.78/kg.

A number of weanling bulls also passed through the Mayo-based venue. The top price in this category went to a Limousin bull weighing 280kg; he sold for €990 or €3.54/kg. A Limousin weanling heifer – weighing 330kg – made €935 or €2.83/kg.

In the cow ring, a top price of €1,375 or €2.24/kg was paid for a Limousin cow weighing 615kg. A Limousin cow with a Charolais bull calf made €1,720.

Sample bullock prices:
  • Limousin: 545kg – €1,345 or €2.47/kg;
  • Charolais: 537kg – €1,410 or €2.63/kg;
  • Hereford: 380kg – €920 or €2.42/kg;
  • Charolais: 475kg – €1,245 or €2.62/kg.

These Charolais bullocks – weighing 537kg – sold for €1,410 or €2.63/kg

Carnew Mart

A large sale of weanlings – amounting to 780 head – was reported from Carnew Mart on Saturday last (October 20).

The trade was reported to be strong, with good demand from both feedlot buyers and exporters.

Bulls weighing in excess of 400kg sold for €850-1,560 or €1.90-3.02/kg, while lots less than 400kg made €580-1,180 or €1.96-3.15/kg.

Sample weanling bull prices:
  • Belgian Blue: 550kg – €1,390 or €2.52/kg;
  • Belgian Blue: 436kg – €1,260 or €2.88/kg;
  • Hereford: 256kg – €480 or €1.87/kg;
  • Charolais: 410kg – €1,070 or €2.60/kg;
  • Limousin: 502kg – €1,240 or €2.47/kg.

On the day, heifers weighing over 400kg made €770-1,160 or €1.72-2.93/kg and heifers under 400kg sold for €460-1,140 or €1.66-3.12/kg.

Sample weanling heifer prices:
  • Belgian Blue: 450kg – €1,210 or €2.68/kg;
  • Belgian Blue: 380kg – €1,160 or €3.05/kg;
  • Charolais: 380kg – €900 or €2.36/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 250kg – €430 or €1.72/kg;
  • Limousin: 380kg – €870 or €2.29/kg.

Raphoe Mart

More buyers were reported to be present around the ring of Raphoe Mart on Thursday last (October 18). A large entry was reported, with quality cattle most sought after, according to the mart’s manager, Anne Harkin.

Plainer cattle were also reported to have improved compared to previous weeks. Bulls – weighing in excess of 600kg – made €600-880 along with the weight.

Heavy beef bullocks fetched €600-1,065 over, while store lots made €400-835 over. Heavier heifers traded for €500-795 along with their weight and lots which require further feeding sold for €350-705 over.

Looking at prices achieved on a €/kg basis, bulls sold for €2.00-2.60/kg, bullocks fetched €2.10-2.70kg and heifers traded at €2.10-2.80/kg. In addition, fat cows made €690-1,615/head.

A weanling sale took place at the mart on Tuesday last, October 16, and the trade was described as good, with quality lots proving popular. Weanling bulls sold for €2.20-3.10/kg and heifers made €2.20-3.20/kg on the day.

Kilrush Mart

A large sale of cattle took place in Kilrush, Co. Clare, on Wednesday last, October 17.

Sample bullock prices:
  • Hereford: 367kg – €700 or €2.90/kg;
  • Charolais: 495kg – €1,055 or €2.13/kg;
  • Hereford: 425kg – €900 or €2.12/kg;
  • Friesian: 647kg – €1,020 or €1.58/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 560kg – €1,070 or €1.91/kg.

In addition, a number of aged bulls also passed through the ring of the Clare-based venue; these lots traded for €1.50-1.83/kg.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Hereford: 413kg – €800 or €1.94/kg;
  • Charolais: 355kg – €765 or €2.16/kg;
  • Hereford: 470kg – €850 or €1.81/kg;
  • Limousin: 480kg – €1,040 or €2.17/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 355kg – €590 or €1.66/kg.

Dairy-type stock was reported to dominate the cull cow trade – mostly first crosses off the dairy herd.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Friesian: 475kg – €680 or €1.42/kg;
  • Friesian: 670kg – €1,080 or €1.61/kg;
  • Charolais: 630kg – €925 or €1.47/kg;
  • Limousin: 570kg – €945 or €1.66/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 590kg – €580 or €0.98/kg.