Cootehill Mart in Cavan reopened yesterday after 12 years, under a new name, Station Road Mart. Speaking to AgriLand, one of the director Jimmy O’Reilly, said the mart was packed to capacity.
“It had been closed 12 years. It closed during the Foot and Mouth outbreak and it never re-opened. We spoke to the owner, discussions took place at the end of June and beginning of July, and we have secured a long-term lease of the mart.”
Yesterday business at the mart was booming. “Business was good. We had up to 450/500 lots, we still need to confirmed that. There was a large attendance. The place was mobbed, there was a big footfall. It was mainly heifers and bullocks, 200 heifers, 170 bullocks, cows, calves and we had three rings running. It was very hectic.”
The official launch is to take place in the coming weeks.
In terms of the challenges ahead, O’Reilly noted the main one, competition. “There are a lot of marts around. It’s about getting good quality cattle in and buyers in, it’s a chicken and egg scenario.”
And the best cow sale yesterday was at 830 kilos for €1,920, one to remember!
Picture generic store cattle penned in mart. Photo O’Gorman Photography