With the prices taking a setback in the factories, some marts have noted a slight setback in the trade of stores and heavier cattle this week.
Speaking with Eilish Curley, mart manager of Ballinasloe Mart, she stated: “Farmers were still very keen to get their hands on store cattle this week.”
AgriLand caught up with Eilish to get her opinion about the trade of 200 animals at the mart’s weekly sale of bullocks, heifers and cull cows, held on Wednesday (February 10). She said:
“The store cattle would have been slightly back on the previous week, but still they would have been a good trade.
“The store heifers sold from a top price of €2.52/kg for continental back to a minimum of €1.76/kg for heifers with Hereford breeding.
“The store bullock trade would have seen the tops of €2.51/kg for continentals and back to a minimum of €1.71/kg.
“The heavier cattle were slightly easier this week, customers were just that bit more wary after the cuts in factory.
Heavy continental bullocks seemed to be a better trade than the heifers and sold, in general, at €2.06-2.12/kg. The forward-type heifers sold at an average of €2.05/kg.
“Looking at the cows, again, prices would have been back on the previous week but heavy cows were selling well overall.
“It was mostly continental and traditional breeds on offer – with prices reaching from €1.22/kg up to a top price of €1.96/kg for a Limousin cow weighing 719kg.”