Carnew Mart hosted its first cattle sale of 2022 on Saturday, January 8, which “got off to a flyer” according to mart manager Eugene Clune.
The opening sale of the year was composed of a total of 962 head of cattle on offer including cows, heifers, bullocks, bulls, calves and a dairy sale.
According to Clune, the cow trade at Carnew’s weekly sale was “on fire from the start” with many cows making €1,100 with their weight and a few cows breaking the €2,000 mark.
The trade for cows on the day was driven by a combination of factory agents, wholesalers and northern customers looking for quality beef-type cows, while there were many farmers and feeders available to buy the store-type cows.
Top cow prices from Carnew Mart last Saturday:
- 842kg Aberdeen Angus cow: €2,040 or €2.42/kg;
- 810kg Limousin cow: €1,990 or €2.45/kg;
- 868kg Charolais cow: €1,960 or €2.25/kg;
- 760kg Limousin cross cow: €1,770 or €2.32/kg;
- 698kg Charolais cross cow: €1,710 or €2.45/kg;
- 730kg Friesian cow: €1270 or €1.74/kg;
- 775kg Friesian cow: €1,420 or €1.83/kg;
- 804kg Friesian cow: €1,540 or €1.91/kg.
The heifer trade witnessed a strong demand also, with beef and forward-type heifers very sought after.
Store heifers were also in big demand from farmers and factory-agents alike. Quality lots of heifers were making over €3.00/kg as there was a keen demand from farmers buying heifers, with plenty of potential for breeding with a top price of €3.24/kg paid for a 440kg Belgian Blue heifer.
Top heifer prices from Carnew Mart last Saturday:
- 744kg Friesian heifer: €1,730 or €2.32/kg;
- 672kg Belgian Blue cross heifer: €1,650 or €2.45/kg;
- 598kg Belgian Blue cross heifer: €1,440 or €2.40/kg;
- 555kg Limousin cross heifer: €1,320 or €2.37/kg;
- 506kg Charolais cross heifer: €1,250 or €2.50/kg;
- 496kg Limousin cross heifer: €1,280 or €2.58/kg;
- 444kg Belgian Blue cross heifer: €1,440 or €3.24/kg;
- 378kg Belgian Blue cross heifer: €1,150 or €3.00/kg;
- 333kg Limousin cross heifer: €930 or €2.79/kg;
- 424kg Belgian Blue cross heifer: €1,110 or €2.61/kg.
Bullocks were “the same story” according to Clune, with some top-quality stock on offer and better-type 400-450kg bullocks with plenty of scope making as far as €3.00/kg.
Most quality lots of bullocks sold for between €2.65 and €2.75/kg and lighter dairy-bred cattle sold in general from between €2.20 and €2.30/kg.
Top bullock prices from Carnew Mart last Saturday:
- 726kg Limousin cross bullock: €1,720 or €2.36/kg;
- 692kg Charolais cross bullock: €1,700 or €2.45/kg;
- 578kg Aberdeen Angus cross bullock: €1,290 or €2.23/kg;
- 590kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1,460 €2.47/kg;
- 550kg Charolais bullock: €1,360 or €2.47/kg;
- 542kg Limousin cross bullock: €1,490 or €2.74/kg;
- 514kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1,390 or €2.70/kg;
- 510kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1,410 or €2.76/kg;
- 532kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1,440 or €2.70/kg;
- 508kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1,490 or €2.93/kg;
- 456kg Limousin cross bullock: €1,370 or €3.00/kg;
- 452kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1,400 or €3.00/kg;
- 410kg Belgian Blue cross bullock: €1;240 or €3.00/kg;
- 434kg Charolais bullock: €1;250 or €2.88/kg;
- 390kg Charolais cross bullock: €1,070 or €2.74/kg;
- 354kg Limousin cross bullock: €950 or €2.68/kg.
Bulls were in short supply on the day and the bulls that were there “met a good steady trade”, according to Clune.
Top bull prices from Carnew Mart last Saturday:
- 550kg Friesian bull: €1,080 or €1.96/kg;
- 580kg Friesian bull: €1,180 or €2.03;
- 534kg Charolais bull: €1,320 or €2.47/kg;
- 376kg Limousin cross bull: €980 or €2.60/kg.
Finally, there was a big show of calves on offer for the first sale of the year.
A total of 148 calves were on offer with all types meeting “a cracking trade”, Clune noted.
Shipping-type Friesian bulls sold from €55-€100, while farmer-type Friesian bulls made €100-€180.
Hereford and Angus bull calves ranged from €190- €320/head, depending on size and quality.
Hereford and Angus heifer calves ranged from €175-€360/head, while continental bull calves made from €225- €460/head.
Lastly, continental heifer calves made from €230 – €445/head.