Ballyjamesduff Co-operative Livestock Mart is set to host a special sale of suckler-bred heifers this evening (Wednesday, August 10) at 6:30p.m.
The sale will feature a range of select heifers bred from the suckler herd. Mart manager John Telvin expects approximately 100 heifers to be on offer at the sale.
Speaking to Agriland, Telvin explained: “We have quite a busy day at Ballyjamesduff Mart on Wednesday with our usual cull cow sale getting underway at 11:00a.m, followed by the suckler sale.”
The suckler sale will feature a number of pedigree Simmental and Hereford cows as well as 10 commercial cows with calves at foot.
“We will have a sale of calves and runners starting at 1:30p.m followed by a sheep sale which will get underway at 5:00p.m,” said Tevlin.
An online machinery auction will also get underway at the mart from 3:00p.m.
Commenting on the type of heifers that will feature in the special sale, Telvin said: “There will be mix of both fat and breeding-type heifers. There are a few nice, shapey, muscly-type heifers on offer at the sale also.
“All the heifers in the sale are suckler bred.”
Ballyjamesduff Mart trade
Commenting on the current trade for cattle, the Ballyjamesduff Mart manager noted that heavy cattle are “definitely a firmer trade” and said runner-type cattle and reared calves “were a phenomenal trade here last week”.
He said the sale featured over 60 runner-type calves last week which met “a phenomenal trade”.
“There’s great confidence in the trade, with some of the cattle in the sale coming into over €700,” he added.
Commenting on the heavy cattle trade, Telvin said: “The demand is there. The feedlots are active again and the Northern trade has lifted.”
He said that “prices of over €3/kg are being secured at the sale” and mentioned one farmer who “reached a price average of €3/kg for 17 forward bullocks at last week’s sale”.
“It’s one thing to get a top price of €3/kg, but to get it as an average sale price for your cattle is certainly good money to be getting,” said Tevlin.