Numbers of cattle available remained steady in the final bullock sale of March at Ballinrobe Mart, Co. Mayo.
Commenting on the sale, Ballinrobe Mart’s manager Teresa Gibsey said: “In the bullock sale, prices reached €2,220 or €3.88/kg.
“Bullock prices ranged from €800 to €2,220/head or €2.24-€3.88/kg. The average price for bullocks over 500kg was €2.96/kg and the average price for bullocks in the 400-500kg weight category was €2.82/kg.
Top prices from the bullock sale:
- 690kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,220 or €3.22/kg;
- 620kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,940 or €3.13/kg;
- 485kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,670 or €3.44/kg;
- 350kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,340 or €3.83/kg;
- 345kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,330 or €3.86/kg;
- 250kg Limousin bullock sold for €970 or €3.88/kg.
Commenting on the trade in the heifer sale, the mart manager said prices ranged from €530 to €1,980/head or €2.04-€3.97/kg.
The average price for heifers in the 500kg plus weight bracket was €2.99/kg and heifers in the 400-500kg weight bracket sold for an average price of €2.63/kg.
Top prices from the heifer sale:
- 640kg Angus heifer sold for €1,980 or €3.09/kg;
- 595kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,970 or €3.31/kg;
- 410kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,440 or €3.51/kg;
- 410kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,320 or €3.22/kg;
- 300kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,190 or €3.97/kg.
- 290kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,080 or €3.72/kg.
In the weanling sale, weanling bull prices ranged from €620-€1,530/head or €2.54-€3.66/kg.
The average price paid for weanling bulls in the 200-350kg weight category was €2.96/kg.
Top prices from the weanling bull sale:
- 470kg Charolais bull sold for €1,530 or €3.26/kg;
- 355kg Limousin bull sold for €1,300 or €3.66/kg;
- 330kg Belgian Blue bull sold for €1,000 or €3.03/kg.
The mart manager said: “There was a great selection of suck calves on offer at this week’s calf sale with prices ranging from €40-€205/head with an average sale price of €135. The prices per kg in the suck calf sale ranged from €0.71-€4.17/kg.
Prices from the suck calf sale:
- 55kg Charolais bull calf sold for €205 or €3.73/kg;
- 48kg Charolais heifer calf €200 or €4.17/kg;
- 54kg Angus bull calf €195 or €3.61;
- 56kg Angus heifer calf €155 or €2.77/kg;
- 56kg red Hereford heifer- €150 or €2.68/kg;
In the cow sale, dry cows made from €720-2,200 with the best price going to a five year old Simmental cow weighing 945kg selling for €2.33/kg.
Another Angus cow weighing 830kg made €1,880 or €2.27/kg.
Ballinrobe Mart is set to host a special sale of continental bullocks on Wednesday, April 3.
The mart will also host a continental heifer sale on Wednesday April 10 and a special continental weanling sale for heifers and bulls will take place on Friday evening, April 12, starting at 5:30pm.