Numbers of cattle on show at marts around the country are beginning to increase and the trade for cattle is currently being underpinned buy a number of factors.
Factory prices for cattle are up to 50c/kg above this time last year. This, coupled with a strong export demand for a big range of cattle, as well as farmer and feedlot buyer activity, is leaving high clearances and strong prices being achieved at marts country wide.
Northern customers are also active at marts around the country and are keen for all types of heavy cattle adding a further edge to the trade at marts around the country.
In the midlands, a new evening weanling sale is set to kick off at Ballinakill Mart in Co. Laois.
The mart venue is set to host a weanling sale every Thursday evening at 5:00p.m. commencing on Thursday, September 5, with export buyers set to be in attendance.
Balla Mart
There was a large sale of cattle at Balla Mart in Co. Mayo, on Saturday August 24, with over 400 head on offer in the bullock ring.
Tough weather conditions and wet ground are bringing cattle out for sale earlier than usual, according to Balla Mart manager, Michael Nolan who also said “there was plenty of buyers around the ring and online that put a stir under them so they proved to be well up on the last few weeks”.
“There was a lot of forward-store heifers for feeding and the cows sold well with anything good making just over €3/kg for the Northern trade,” he said.
Bullocks in the 300-400kg weight bracket averaged €2.94/kg and store bullocks in the 400-500kg bracket averaged €3.14/kg. While heavier bullocks 500kg averaged 3.00/kg.
“A heavy 720kg Charolais bullock born in June 2022 made €2,500 or €3.47/kg while a lighter Charolais bullock weighing 480kg made €1,770 or €3.69/kg and a lighter Limousin weighing 385kg made €1,380 or €3.58/kg,” the mart manager said.
Breeding type heifers made “exceptional prices” according to the mart manager. Lighter store heifers weighing from 300-400kg averaged €2.83/kg. Heifers weighing from 400- 500kg averaged €2.98/kg while heifers over 500kg averaged €3.02/kg.
A Belgian Blue heifer weighing 695kg made €2,410 or €3.47/kg and another Belgian Blue heifer born Sept 2023 weighing 420kg made €2,120 or €5.05/kg.
Dry cows weighing over 500kg averaged €2.53/kg this week. One strong Simmental dry cow born weighing a ton made €2,840 or €2.84/kg bought by a factory buyer from the North.
Another lighter Limousin cow weighing 780kg made €2,410 or €3.09/kg to another Northern buyer.
In the springer’s there was about 30 lots with a Limousin cow that was scanned in calf to EBY making €2,420.
Bull weanlings weighing from 200 to 350kg averaged €3.06/kg while 350-450kg averaging €3.43/kg and bulls over 450kg averaging €3.21/kg.
A 390kg Limousin bull born in May 2023 weighing 390kg made €1,750 or €4.49/kg going for export.
Balla Mart in Co. Mayo will host its end of the month continental sale on Saturday, August 31, and its opening weanling show and sale will take place on Tuesday, September 3.
Headford Mart
There were over 400 cattle on offer in Headford Mart in Co. Galway on Saturday, August 24, with a 94% clearance rate in the cattle sale.
Sample bullock prices:
- 660kg Belgian Blue bullock sold for €1,990 or €3.06/kg;
- 465kg Limousin bullock sold for €1560 or 3.35/kg;
- 740kg Charolais bullock sold for €2270 or 3.07/kg;
- 670kg Charolais bullock sold for €2260 or 3.37/kg;
- 495kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,510 or €3.05/kg;
- 715kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,260 or €3.16/kg.
In the weanling bull sale, a 265kg Charolais bull made €850 or €3.21/kg. A 450kg Charolais bull made €1,390 or €3.09/kg and a 430kg Charolais bull made €1,320 or €3.07/kg.
Sample heifer prices:
- 410kg Charolais heifer sold for €1260 or €3.07kg;
- 575kg Limousin heifer sold for €1870 or €3.25kg;
- 670kg Charolais heifer sold for €1970 or €2.94kg;
- 620kg Charolais heifer sold for €1800 or €2.90kg;
- 590kg Charolais heifer sold for €1760 or €2.98kg;
- 385kg Limousin heifer sold for €1210 or €3.14kg;
- 253kg Limousin heifer sold for €750 or €2.96kg.
In the cull cow sale, a 735kg Limousin cow sold for €2,280 while an 850kg Charolais cow sold for €2,260 and another 590kg Charolais cow sold for €,1740.
The opening weanling sale at Headford Mart is set to take place on Friday evening September 6 with a Charolais weanling show and sale.
Carnew Mart
Carnew Mart in Co Wicklow hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Saturday, August 24, with 1,080 head on offer and “a super yard of strong and forward cattle” on offer according to Carnew Mart’s Eugene Clune.
Clune said: “Cows were similar to last week with many passing the €3/kg mark with a top price per kilo of €2,100 (€3.28/kg) for a 640kg Belgian Blue cow. Cows topped out at €2,600 for an 814kg Belgian Blue Cow.
“Strong cattle and beef heifers/bullocks met a very lively trade throughout the sale with farmers, feedlots and northern customers available both ringside and online. Weanling bulls were in short supply but in very strong demand.”
A 740kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,260 while on the lighter side, a 300kg Charolais heifer sold for €850.
A 482kg Limousin weanling bull made €1,470 while in the bullock sale, a 648kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,100.