Enniscorthy Mart’s weekly calf and cattle sales saw a strong trade for calves, forward beef cattle, and cull cows this week.
The sale had around 50 calves in total, with a mix of reared and younger-type calves on offer.
The cattle sale was larger, with a strong trade for forward beef cattle and cows.
Enniscorthy
The calves met a strong trade at Ennicorthy this week, according to Fionn Sherlock from the mart.
The sale was mostly made up of calves from that were aged from four to 12 weeks.
According to Sherlock, there were a lot of customers present looking for strong reared calves.
The Friesians bull calves sold from âŹ30, up to âŹ240 for the stronger-type calves.
Some sample Friesian prices:
- A four-week-old Friesian bull sold for âŹ80;
- Two two-week-old Friesian bulls sold for âŹ30.
Continental calves sold from âŹ170 for a Limousin-cross bull calf up to a top price of âŹ390 for a two-month-old Limousin-cross bull calf.
Some sample Continental prices:
- An eight-week-old Limousin-cross bull made âŹ390;
- A five-week-old Limousin-cross heifer made âŹ270.
Angus and Hereford calves sold anywhere from âŹ165 for lighter calves up to âŹ450 for an eight-week-old Hereford-cross bull.
Some sample Hereford and Angus prices:
- An eight-week-old Hereford bull sold for âŹ450;
- A six-week-old Hereford heifer sold for âŹ400.
Overall, this week was a smaller sale, with more reared calves present at the mart with export and farmer demand keeping trade very strong for these type of calves
Cattle sale
There was a larger showing of cattle sale at this week’s sale in Enniscorthy and the trade was strong for forward beef cattle and cows.
According to Sherlock, grass buyers are still present ringside and online for lighter stores for summer grazing.
Sherlock said there was a large number of cull cows for the time of year and itâs the good trade that is bringing these extra cows out.
There are some very strong buyers both online and ringside looking for well fleshed cows.
Cull suckler cows ranged from âŹ1,190 for stores, up to a top price of âŹ1,870 for a fleshy 770kg Limousin cow.
Finished Friesians sold from âŹ1,180 up to âŹ1,410 for a cow weighing 730kg, while the store Friesians sold from âŹ760 up to âŹ1,010.
Cull cow sample prices:
- A Limousin cow weighing 770kg, sold for âŹ1,870 or âŹ2.42/kg;
- A Limousin-cross cow weighing 770kg, sold for âŹ1,780 or âŹ2.31/kg;
- A Friesian cow weighing 730kg, sold for âŹ1,410 or âŹ1.93/kg;
- A Friesian cow weighing 570kg, sold for âŹ1,040 or âŹ1.82/kg.
Finished cattle were scarce on the day, yet there was a good demand for forward and finished
cattle.
Factory agents and feedlot buyers are all very eager for those forward cattle. Forward store bullocks ranged from âŹ1,400 up to âŹ2,110 for 830kg Hereford bullocks.
Quality suckler-bred forward bullocks ranged from âŹ2.56/kg up to âŹ2.94/kg.
Beef and forward store bullock sample prices:
- A Hereford bullock weighing 830kg made âŹ2,110 or âŹ2.54/kg;
- A Hereford bullock weighing 760kg made âŹ1,950 or âŹ2.56/kg;
- A Limousin-cross bullock weighing 720kg made âŹ2,030 or âŹ2.81/kg.
The lighter store bullocks sold from âŹ760 for plainer lots out of the dairy herd up to âŹ1,465 for a top-quality Limousin weighing 490kg, with quality making almost âŹ3.00/kg.
The plainer bullocks ranged from âŹ2.16/kg up to âŹ2.45/kg.
There were some nice forward store Friesian bullocks on offer at Enniscorthy Mart this week too, and they ranged in price from âŹ1,160 up to âŹ1,410kg for four Friesians weighing 633kg, selling anywhere from âŹ2.20/kg up to âŹ2.37/kg.
Friesians bullocks sample prices:
- Four Friesian bullocks weighing 633kg sold for âŹ1,410 or âŹ2.23/kg;
- Four Friesian bullock weighing 619kg sold for âŹ1,380 or âŹ2.23/kg;
- Four Friesian bullocks weighing 586kg sold for âŹ1,290 or âŹ2.20/kg.
The suckler bred forward store heifers sold from âŹ2.53/kg up to âŹ2.86/kg for quality lots while the lighter suckler-bred heifers range anywhere from âŹ2.45/kg up to âŹ2.97/kg.
Store heifers sample prices:
- A Limousin heifer weighing 560kg made âŹ1,470 or âŹ2.63/kg;
- A Limousin heifer weighing 565kg made âŹ1,490 or âŹ2.64/kg;
- A Charolais-cross heifer weighing 630kg made âŹ1,640 or âŹ2.60/kg.