Ballinrobe Mart, Co. Mayo hosted its general cattle sale on Wednesday (March 29), with the number of cattle on offer “increasing weekly” according to the mart’s assistant manager Teresa Gibsey.
Commenting on the sale of cattle on the day, Gibsey said: “The trade for heifers was excellent and it remained steady for the bullocks.”
She added that bullocks reached a high of €4.07/kg with prices ranging from €820-2,020/head or €1.94-4.07/kg. The average price for bullocks in the 400kg-500kg weight category was €2.70/kg.
Top prices in the bullock sale:
- 660kg Angus bullock sold for €2,020 or €3.06/kg;
- 300kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,220 or €4.07/kg;
- 460kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,580 or €3.43/kg;
- 595kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,940 or €3.26/kg.
Commenting on the heifer sale, Gibsey said: “There was a good turnout of heifers met with a good demand. The prices ranged from €1,000-2,040/head or €2.48-4.06/kg.”
Going forward, Ballinrobe Mart’s continental bullock sale will run on the first and last Wednesday of each month and take place directly after the cow sale. The mart is set to host a special continental bullock sale on Wednesday, April 5.
Top prices in the heifer sale:
- 635kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,040 or €3.21/kg;
- 360kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €1,460 or €3.61/kg;
- 480kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,630 or €3.40/kg;
- 355kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,280 or €3.61/kg.
The average price for heifers between 400-500kg was €3.11/kg and heifers over 500kg made €3.03/kg.
Weanling heifers and bulls
In the weanling heifer category, prices ranged from €600-1,440/head or €2.26-3.64/kg.
The average price for weanling heifers in the 200-350kg category was €3.00/kg.
Top prices in the weanling heifer sale:
- 410kg Charolais weanling heifer sold for €1,440 or €3.51/kg;
- 275kg Angus weanling heifer sold for €1,000 or €3.64/kg;
- 390kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,360 or €3.49/kg;
- 335kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,070 or €3.19/kg;
Weanling bulls ranged from €670-1,300/head or €2.53-3.82/kg.
Top prices in the weanling bull sale:
- 340kg Charolais weanling bull sold for €1,300 or €3.82/kg;
- 350kg Hereford weanling bull sold for €1,000 or €2.86/kg;
- 325kg Charolais weanling bull sold for €1,120 or €3.45/kg;
- 335kg Charolais weanling bull sold for €1,120 or €3.34/kg.
The average price for weanling bulls in the 200-350kg weight category was €3.14/kg, an increase on last week’s average.
Cows and calves
Dry cows sold from €600-2,470, with the best price going to a farmer from Hollymount at €2.73/kg for a 905kg Charolais cow making €2,470.
Sucklers reached €2,000/head for a Simmental cow due shortly to a Limousin bull.
There was also a selection of Hereford and Friesian calves on offer in the sale with prices for these ranging from €155-280 and an average price of €180/head. A special suck calf sale will take place in ring 3 at the venue for the month of April.
Ballinrobe sheep sale
Ballinrobe Mart hosted its weekly sheep sale on Thursday (March 30). Commenting on the trade for sheep, Gibsey said: “There was an increase in numbers this week for sheep with cull ewes reaching €220/head.
“Lambs were making from €1.81-3.24/kg with an average price of €2.67/kg, a 16c/kg rise on last week’s average.”
The average price per head was approximately €123 with a top price of €159 for a pen of 59kg ewe lambs making €2.69/kg.
Other prices from the day included:
- 67kg hoggets at €158 or €2.36/kg;
- 50kg weather lambs at €154 or €3.08/kg;
- 48kg mixed lambs at €150 or €3.13/kg;
- 51.5kg mixed lambs at €149 or €2.89/kg;
- 45kg hoggets at €146 or€3.24/kg.
Cull ewes ranged from €60-220/head with an average of €115/head paid. There was a nice turn out of ewes with lambs at foot on offer with prices ranging from €105-270 for a first-crop ewe with twin lambs at foot.