There was plenty of farmer customers present for store cattle in Tullow Mart on Friday, according to the Mart Manager Eric Driver.

Driver said that last Friday’s sale of over 300 cattle was larger than the sale held the week earlier, but cattle trade remained steady overall.

Looking at the steers, the Mart Manager said beef and forward lots sold from €600-970 over or €1.90-2.40/kg, while the lighter store lots sold from €2.00-3.16/kg.

Driver also said that store heifers sold briskly, with the majority on offer selling from €2.20-2.45/kg and the beef and factory heifers traded from €2.00-2.35/kg.

Store cows met a similar trade to the week before and these lots sold from €1.20-1.70/kg or to a top price of €820 over.

Kilkenny Mart

There was an excellent trade for quality steers weighing between 430-530kg in Kilkenny Mart, Cillin Hill on Thursday, according to the Mart Auctioneer George Candler.

Candler said there was more interest in forward store steers and heifers, with prices for these lots ranging from €2.35-3.00/kg.

However, he said the lesser quality Friesian steers on offer where more difficult to sell.

Forward and beef steers (+600kg) sold from €1.90-2.40/kg, lighter lots weighing 400-600kg traded from €1.40-3.00/kg, while the lighter lots (<400kg) made €1.40-2.80/kg or €300-720 over.

Sample steer prices:
  • Limousin: 730kg – €1,740 or €2.38/kg
  • Angus: 720kg – €1,385 or €1.92/kg
  • Friesian: 575kg – €1,095 or €1.90/kg
  • Limousin: 560kg – €1,490 or €2.66kg
  • Limousin: 495kg – €1,390 or €2.81/kg
  • Simmental: 460kg – €1,160 or €2.52/kg
  • Limousin: 390kg – €1,095 or €2.81/kg
  • Friesian: 380kg – €730 or €1.92/kg

Looking at the heifers, Candler said there were more on offer but the quality forward store and beef heifers met with a firm trade and remained in demand.

Beef heifers sold from €2.00-2.40/kg, while the forward store lots on offer traded from €1.80-2.70kg.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Limousin: 800kg – €1,880 or €2.35/kg
  • Angus: 660kg – €1,450 or €2.35/kg
  • Charolais: 580kg – €1,300 or €2.24/kg
  • Belgian Blue: 480kg – €1,000 or €2.08/kg
  • Limousin: 470kg – €1,240 or €2.64/kg
  • Simmental: 455kg – €950 or €2.09/kg
  • Limousin: 395kg – €1,015 or €2.57/kg
  • Angus: 380kg – €850 or €2.24/kg

He also said there was some recovery seen in the cull cow trade and Friesian cull cows traded from €1.00-1.55/kg, while the better quality continental types made €1.20-1.97/kg.

Ennis Mart

Looking further west to Ennis Mart, there was a full clearance of the cattle on offer in Thursday’s weekly cattle sale, according to the mart’s Gerry Finnerty.

Finnerty said there was a big supply of store cattle weighing over 400kg and these lots met with a very strong demand, with lots selling from €2.01-2.76/kg.

He also said that the heavier lots on offer showed some improvement and these lots sold from €1.97-2.51/kg.

Light store heifers weighing 300-450kg sold from €2.47-2.71/kg, while the heavier lots (+500kg) traded from €2.21-2.30/kg.

Finnerty also said that there was also some improvement seen in the demand for cull cows and these lots sold from €1.52-2.18/kg.

Sample dry cow prices:
  • Belgian blue: 480kg – €730 or €1.52/kg
  • Limousin: 580kg – €1,215 or €2.09/kg
  • Friesian: 580kg – €910 or €1.56/kg
  • Charolais: 605kg – €1,320 or €2.18/kg
  • Limousin: 680kg- €1,320 or €1.94/kg
  • Angus: 775kg – €1,240 or €1.60/kg
  • Charolais: 750kg – €1,340 or €1.78/kg