Reports coming out of cattle marts over the last week would indicate a consistently steady trade, with almost 100% clearances being achieved across the board.

The demand for cull cows was said to be on the rise this week, with some “great cows” being presented for sale; while weanlings continued to attract demand ringside.

Baltinglass Mart

Baltinglass Mart held its most recent sale on Wednesday, March 4, with mart manager Tom Coleman reporting that “quality cattle were always in demand” on the day.

He said: “The sale on Wednesday mostly had top-quality forward and light stores; both bullocks and heifers were met with a strong demand.”

Sample bullock prices:
  • Simmental: 595kg – €1,260 or €2.12/kg;
  • Charolais: 525kg – €1,250 or €2.38/kg;
  • Limousin: 485kg – €1,130 or €1.95/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 580kg – €1,130 or €1.95/kg;
  • Friesian: 555kg – €1,070 or €1.93/kg.

Sample heifer prices:

  • Limousin: 415kg – €940 or €2.26/kg;
  • Limousin: 360kg – €780 or €2.16/kg;
  • Charolais: 400kg – €850 or €2.12/kg;
  • Charolais: 410kg – €800 or €1.95/kg.

Finally, Tom said there was a good selection of ‘fat cows’ on offer on the day, stating they were “in high demand and made from €600/head up to €1,000/head”.

Raphoe Mart

Mart manager Anne Harkin told AgriLand that there was a much bigger entry of cattle on Thursday, March 5, at Raphoe Mart.

Anne said: “The trade remains similar to last week, with quality cattle in great demand; there were lots of bidders for plainer cattle also.”

Bullocks sold for €2.00-2.70/kg on Thursday, a small improvement on the previous week; while heifers went for €2.00-2.80/kg, also a slight improvement on the previous week.

Store bullocks achieved prices slightly back on the previous week – making up to €805 over; while store heifers saw an increase in price, topping out at €895 with the kg.

Cull cows were reported to be making a steady trade on the day, with prices starting at €610/head and a top price of €1,770/head being paid.

Castlerea Mart

Once again, there was a “large turnout of stock” reported at Castlerea Mart, on Thursday, March 5, at its most recent sale.

Brendan Egan, the mart manager, told AgriLand that: “In the weanling rings, demand remained very strong for quality weanlings”. He stated that this is because farmers are currently trying to source stock for summer feeding.

Dry cow trade was said to be similar to last week, with little or no change reported in price.

Sample weanling prices:
  • Charolais bull: 250kg – €880 or €3.52/kg;
  • Charolais-cross bull: 290kg – €1,035 or €2.98/kg;
  • Limousin bull: 275kg – €850 or €3.09/kg;
  • Charolais heifer: 295kg – €935 or €3.17/kg;
  • Limousin heifer: 320kg – €895 or €2.80/kg;
  • Belgian Blue-cross heifer: 325kg – €900 or €2.77/kg.

Brendan continued on to say: “There was a strong farmer demand for both the bullocks and heifers on offer; while breeding heifers, in particular, reported a flying trade, with a top price of €1,355 achieved on the day for a Simmental heifer.”

Sample bullock prices:
  • Charolais: 455kg – €1,210 or €2.66/kg;
  • Limousin: 465kg – €1,135 or €2.44/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 510kg – €1,250 or €2.45/kg.

Sample heifer prices:

  • Simmental: 470kg – €1,355 or €2.88/kg;
  • Belgian Blue-cross: 495kg – €1,295 or €2.61/kg;
  • Charolais: 425kg – €1,030 or €2.42/kg.

Ennis Mart

Just over 800 cattle were said to be on offer at Ennis Mart, on Thursday, March 5.

Mart manager Martin McNamara reported a 98% clearance of cattle on the day, with the trade said to be improving.

“There was an improved trade all-round, with forward-type stock in great demand,” Martin said.

Sample bullock prices:
  • Limousin: 450kg – €1,155 or €2.57/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 560kg – €1,170 or €2.09/kg;
  • Hereford-cross: 545kg – €1,085 or €1.99kg;
  • Charolais: 472kg – €1,200 or €2.54kg.

Sample heifer prices:

  • Limousin: 490kg – €1,280 or €2.61/kg;
  • Belgian Blue-cross: 625kg – €1,525 or €2.52/kg;
  • Charolais: 625kg – €1,470 or €2.35/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 433kg – €895 or €2.07/kg.

In the cull cow ring, there was reportedly “some great cull cows on offer”, with an increase of €20-30/head in price on the previous week.

Sample cull cow prices:
  • Charolais: 825kg – €1,575 or €1.91/kg;
  • Limousin: 820kg – €1,535 or €1.87/kg;
  • Friesian: 505kg – €850 or €1.68/kg.

Carnew Mart

There was a “bigger entry” of cattle reported at Carnew Mart on Saturday, March 7, with some 1,476 head of cattle on offer, including 180 dry cows.

Mart manager David Quinn said: “The dry cow trade was improved again, with prices for both beef and store cows up, while continental cows sold for up to €1,640/head or €2.07/kg.”

Sample cow prices:
  • Belgian Blue: 804kg – €1,640 or €2.04/kg;
  • Limousin: 744kg – €1,490 or €2.00/kg;
  • Charolais: 690kg – €1,270 or €1.84/kg;
  • Friesian: 710kg – €1,100 or €1.55/kg.

David continued: “The cattle trade was similar to last week, with plenty of customers leading to a full clearance, with all 1,476 head on offer going to sale.”

Sample bullock prices:
  • Belgian Blue: 647kg – €1,320 or €2.04/kg;
  • Limousin: 701kg – €1,610 or €2.29/kg;
  • Charolais: 592kg – €1,370 or €2.31/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 601kg – €1,260 or €2.10/kg;
  • Hereford: 560kg – €1,120 or €2.00/kg.

Sample heifer prices:

  • Belgian Blue: 596kg – €1,240 or €2.08/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 295kg – €630 or €2.13/kg;
  • Charolais: 610kg – €1,300 or €2.13/kg;
  • Limousin: 375kg – €960 or €2.56/kg;
  • Hereford: 318kg – €760 or €2.39/kg.

Kilkenny Mart

The most recent sale at Kilkenny Mart took place on Thursday, March 5, with some 900 cattle on offer.

Auctioneer George Candler said: “There was a bigger sale compared to last week.”

He highlighted the fact that heavier bullocks were met with a similar trade to last week; while continental bullocks and heifers ranged from €2.35/kg to €2.80/kg in price.

Sample bullock prices:
  • Aberdeen Angus: 595kg – €1,250 or €2.10/kg;
  • Limousin: 575kg – €1,370 or €2.38/kg;
  • Simmental: 485kg – €1,190 or €2.45/kg;
  • Charolais: 445kg – €1,180 or €2.65/kg.

Sample heifer prices:

  • Charolais: 525kg – €1,180 or €2.25/kg;
  • Limousin: 505kg – €1,100 or €2.18/kg;
  • Aberdeen Angus: 485kg – €980 or €2.02/kg;
  • Limousin: 380kg – €890 or €2.34/kg.

Continental cull cows achieved prices of €1.25-2.15/kg on the day, while Friesian culls topped out at €1.60/kg.