There was a smaller sale of cattle in Kilkenny Mart, Cillin Hill on Thursday due to the sale clashing with the final day of the National Ploughing Championships, the Mart’s Auctioneer George Candler has said.
Despite cattle numbers being down on the previous week, Candler said the trade was steady as continental cattle were in short supply.
But the lesser quality Frieisian and Holstein type steers met a tougher trade, with the majority of these lots trading from €1.45-1.55/kg, while the better quality British Friesian lots sold to €1.90/kg.
Candler also said that buyers showed more caution when buying and as a result the majority of continental steers and heifer sold from €2.40-2.70/kg.
Looking at steer prices in more detail, forward lots weighing over 600kg traded from €400-730 over or €1.65-2.46/kg, lighter lots weighting 500-600kg sold for €1.70-2.50/kg and the lighter stores (<400kg) made €1.50-2.65/kg.
Beef heifers also sold from €2.00-2.20/kg, forward lots made €1.85-2.50/kg, while the light store heifers on offer traded from €1.70-2.85/kg or €2.70-675 over. There was also a number of cows on offer in Kilkenny Mart on Thursday where Friesian and continental lots sold from €1.40-1.65/kg and €1.55-2.33/kg respectively.
Castlerea Mart held its annual weanling show and Thursday and according to the Mart Manager Brendan Egan there was a large entry of top quality weanlings on offer.
Egan said there was a very lively trade for the top quality weanlings, with bull and heifer prices starting at €2.50/kg and €2.60/kg respectively.
The overall champion weanling bull sold for €4.58/kg, he said, while the champion heifer made €4.43/kg.
There was also a number of dry cows on offer on the day and these lots traded from €835-1,715, while the best of the forward heifers made €2.32-2.52/kg. A smaller sale in Ennis Mart on Tuesday failed to dampen the trade, as weanling bull prices improved by as much as €40/head, the Mart’s Gerry Finnerty has said.
Weanling heifers prices were also up on previous weeks, he said, with most selling for €20/head more, while light weanlings (runner type cattle) also improved by €20-30/head.
Finnerty said that prices firmed as there was a much better demand for quality cattle due to the increase in the number of buyers in attendance.
There was also a selection of cows with calves at foot on offer and these lots traded from €1,180-1,870, while in-calf cows and heifers traded from €900-1,300 each.
Castlerea Mart
Ennis Mart