Brexit worries have featured heavily around the sales ring in cattle marts over the past couple of days, as uncertainty grows as how it might impact on the market.
A number of mart managers have reported high levels of worry among farmers prior to the start of selling.
However, despite the uncertainty seen around the sales ring, they say that the trade remains pretty much unchanged from previous weeks.
Castlerea Mart
There were 500 cattle on offer in Castlerea Mart on Thursday, according to the Mart Manager Brendan Egan.
The Mart Manager said that despite the recent inclement weather conditions and Brexit uncertainties the trade was maintained for all of the quality stores on offer.
“Heifers in particular were a very strong trade on the day with improved quality lots on offer, while the weanling and breeding stock reported good clearances,” he said.
Egan also said that quality stores met with a similar trade to last week, but there was a slight price ease for plainer lots. The steers on offer in the Roscommon venue traded from €1.99-2.66/kg.
The Mart Manager added that cows with calves at foot made from €950-1,910, while dry cows traded from €1.66-2.03/kg.
Many farmers were very worried about the outcome prior to selling cattle in Kilkenny Mart, Cillin Hill on Thursday, according to the Mart’s Auctioneer George Candler.
However, Candler added that the trade was firm, with quality cattle continuing to remain in demand, with quality Friesian cattle making in excess of €2.00/kg.
Forward steers weighing over 600kg made from €1.80-2.30/kg, while the lighter store lots (400-600kg) traded from €1.50-2.80/kg.
Candler also said that heifers numbers were back compared to previous weeks, but a lot of onlookers were pleased that the price fall was only marginal. Beef heifers sold from €1.80-2.40/kg, while forward store heifers traded from €1.70-2.35/kg or €400-650 over and the lighter store heifers made €1.70-2.65/kg.
The cattle trade continued to remain firm in Tullow Mart on Friday, according to the Mart Manager Eric Driver, despite some of the negativity that is currently present in the market.
Driver said that store and forward type cattle set the pace, while there was also demand for the beef cattle on offer.
Beef and forward steers sold from €1.85-2.50/kg, with in-spec cattle best in demand.
The plain Friesian type store steers sold from €1.75/kg and the better quality continental lots traded from €2.60-3.00/kg. Store Heifers, just like the store steers continued to raise the bar with prices fully maintained on last week. These lots sold from €2.10-2.60/kg, while €3/kg was paid for an exceptionally muscled heifer.
Driver added that cull cows continued to meet a steady trade, with demand best from fleshy types. Friesian feeding cows sold from €150 over, while the fleshed continentals sold up to €1.80/kg.
The trade had settled down or at least stabilised in Ennis Mart on Thursday after a very difficult week for the cattle trade, the Mart’s Gerry Finnerty said.
“While prices are back all round there is a general feeling that it is temporary and a recovery in price is in place as demand is there and stock are getting sold,” he said.
Finnerty said the monthly sale of four and five star heifers was quite successful, despite the quality of heifers on offer being mixed.
Looking at the steers, light lots weighing 330-450kg traded from €2.19-2.90/kg, while the heavier stores (500kg) made between €2.26-2.49/kg and the forward lots sold from €1.82-2.31/kg.
Finnerty added that the biggest drop in price occurred in the cow ring, where prices were generally back by as much as 50c/kg on the same day last year or 13c/kg on the same sale last week.
Kilkenny Mart
Tullow Mart
Ennis Mart