Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow hosted its annual fatstock show and sale of bullocks and bulls on Saturday, January 30, with over 1,400 cattle on offer.

Commenting on the trade, Carnew Mart’s Eugene Clune told Agriland: “The likes of such a trade for cattle was never seen before.

“The atmosphere was electric with online and ringside bidders driving the trade. The event transpired into a serious trade for beef cattle and the stores were tremendous as well.”

Fatstock show results

Best continental factory-type bullock:

  • First: Patsy Fortune’s Belgian Blue-cross bullock weighing 976kg sold for €3,620 or €3.70/kg;
  • Second: Derry Rothwell’s Charolais bullock weighing 776kg sold for €3,240 or €4.18/kg;
  • Third: Ann Hardy’s Limousin bullock weighing 840kg sold for €2,660 or €3.16/kg.

Best two or more continental factory-type bullocks:

  • First: Patsy Fortune’s two Limousin bullocks averaging 945kg sold for €3,360 or €3.55/kg;
  • Second: Henry Steacy’s two Limousin bullocks averaging 684kg sold for €2,400 or €3.51/kg;
  • Third: Henry Steacy’s four Limousin bullocks averaging 728kg sold for €2,380 or €3.27/kg.

Best non-continental factory-type bullocks:

  • First: Eoin Rochford’s five Angus-cross bullocks weighing 578kg sold for €1,790 or €3.10/kg;
  • Second: Des Tobin Aubrac bullock weighing 616kg sold for €1,770 or €2.87/kg;
  • Third: Henry Bolton Lee’s two Hereford-cross bullocks weighing 707kg sold for €1,890 or €2.67/kg.

Best two or more store bullocks:

  • First: Sean Keane’s two Charolais bullocks averaging 539kg sold for €1,790 or €3.32/kg;
  • Second: Shay Cullen’s three Limousin bullocks averaging 552kg sold for €1,710 or €3.10/kg;
  • Third: Niall Quinn’s two Limousin bullocks averaging 456kg sold for €1,500 or €3.29/kg.

Best continental store bullocks:

  • First: Derry Rothwell’s Belgian Blue-cross bullock weighing 572kg sold for €2,100 or €3.67/kg;
  • Second: W.M Kelly’s Charolais bullock weighing 622kg sold for €1,950 or €3.14/kg;
  • Third: Derry Rothwell’s Limousin bullock weighing 528kg sold for €1,840 or €3.48/kg.

Best continental bull weanling:

  • First: Seamus Osbourne’s Limousin bull weighing 576kg sold for €1,920 or €3.33/kg
  • Second: William Young Blonde D’Aquitaine-cross bullock weighing 514kg sold for €1,970 or €3.83/kg;
  • Third: William Kinsella’s Parthenaise bullock weighing 488kg sold for €1,800 or €3.69/kg.

Mentioning some of the highlights of the sale, Clune said one buyer left the sale with a lorry load of 32 beef bullocks.

“All the bullocks were over 30 months of age and the load averaged €3.28/kg. There was no beast sold at below €2,100 on the load,” he said.

Clune also said that confidence in the trade is at “an all-time high” among store and forward cattle buyers.

“We had a 750kg Limousin bullock making €2,560 or €3.41/kg, and four Limousin cattle weighing 486kg making €3.58/kg,” he said.

“Now if that’s not confidence, I don’t know what is.”

‘Every bull in the sale cleared €3/kg’

The event also featured a sale of 350 weanling bulls and, according to Clune, “virtually every bull in the sale sold for over €3/kg”.

“€4.58/kg was the top price in the bull ring and a lot of bulls were making €3.50/kg and more,” he said.

“One farmer had 26 well-bred continental bulls in the sale and the bulls averaged €1,500 each.”

Clune said the bull trade was being driven by local feeders, factory feedlots and exporters. One buyer secured over 60 bulls at the sale.

Concluding, Clune said: “The value of cattle is unbelievable at the moment. There’s a huge want for cattle and sales are breaking records in every way.”

Carnew Mart will host its annual cow fatstock show and sale this Friday (February 3) at 4:00p.m. The heifer fatstock show and sale will be on Saturday (February 4) at 10:00a.m.