Snapshot of the mart trade

Castlerea

Castlerea reported 550 cattle on offer at its most recent sale. On the day bullocks were an improved trade with better quality lots coming on offer than previous weeks.

The mart reports that all other categories of cattle reported a firm trade with prices similar to last week while the suck calf numbers noticed an increase this week and a steady trade.

Sample prices included:

Bullocks: Ch 475kgs €1315 Lim 495kgs €1305 Ch 545kgs €1360 BBX 635kgs €1430 Lim 635kgs €1365

Heifers: Ch 385kgs €1055 Lim 485kgs €1360 Ch 460kgs €1085 Lim 540kgs €1380 AA 540kgs €1250

Dry Cows: Red Her 650kgs €1175 Sim 675kgs €1125 Lim 700kgs €1380 R Lim 695kgs €1215 Sh 590kgs €835 Cows with calves at foot made from €1100 to €1610 per head Springer’s made from €950 to €1670 per head.

Calves: Ch bull €450 Ch hfr €430 Fr bull €82 Jersey Bull €17 AA bull €195. Weanling Bulls: Ch 285kgs €865 Lim 290kgs €755 BB 430kgs €1350 Limx 400kgs €1195 Ch 320kgs €965 Weanling

Heifers: Sim 260kgs €765 AA 260kgs €695 Ch 335kgs €965 Lim 360kgs €875 Ch 260kgs €735

Tullow

Tullow mart reported the trade at its most recent sale was very strong with the ring full of farmers, exporters and factory agents actively looking for cattle.

On the day beef and forward store bullocks sold from €800 to €1000 with the weight. Tullow mart manager Eric Driver noted that farmers were watching both age and weight keenly.

On the day store bullocks sold from €400 with the weight for the lighter continental types, up to €850 with the weight for the heavier continental bullock. Sample prices included: 3 LM Bullocks 590Kg – €1390, 6 LM Bullocks 528Kg – €1380.

Beef heifers sold from €750 for the planner more aging heifers and sold up to tops of €1100 with the weight for the in age continental heifers. The mart reported that store heifers continue to sell to a lively trade with lighter plainer heifers selling from €300 with the weight up to €800 with the weight for the forward store heifers.

On the day, bull weanlings sold to a brisk trade with both farmers and shippers active for the young bulls weighing between 380kg and 450kg selling from €850 for the lighter planner types up to €1150 or from €2.35 to €2.60 per Kg.

Cull cows sold from €200 with the weight for Friesian feeding types up to €850 with the weight for the heavier continental cows.

Ballinakill

Ballinakill mart reported a bigger sale last week with a brisk trade. Ballinakill note that some farmers were buying cattle for grazing and others to put in shed as they are not affected by winter feeding.

On the day nice quality bullocks 500kg was making over €1300 or €2.60 to €2.70 per Kg. The heifers were also a good trade while the cows and plain stock are a little bit of a drag.

Sample prices:

Heavy bullocks €1.80 to €2.30/kg

Forward Stores €1.90 to €2.60/kg

Light Stores €1.75 to €2.75/kg

Beef Heifers €1.90 to €2.20/kg

Store Heifers €1.70 to €2.05/kg

Weanling Bulls €1.80 to €2.10/kg

Weanling Heifers €1.70 to €2.00/kg

Dry Cows €1.20 to €1.70/kg

Mountbellew

Mountbellew mart reported a very large turnout for our special weanling and dry cow sale. It notes farmers and shippers were very active for all classes of stock especially the heifer weanlings.

Sample prices:

Heifers: 1CHX – 395kgs – €840, 1CHX 525kgs – €1150, 1LMX – 375kgs – €800, 1LMX – 510kgs – €1090, 1HEX – 475kgs – €1030.

Bullocks: 2FR – 505kgs – €850, 1LMX – 420kgs – €950, 1CHX – 450kgs – €1010.

Weanling bulls made from €400 to €650 with their weight. Weanling heifers made from €350 to €820 with their weight. Cull cows made from €100 under to €250 over depending on breed.

Image: Sales Ring. Photo O’Gorman Photography.