Of the 540 bullocks on offer at Carnaross Mart’s weekly bullock sale on Monday (August 9), “the largest majority were heavy bullocks”, according to Carnaross Mart manager Padraig McElroy.
McElroy said that the weekly steer sale at the Co. Meath-based mart featured “primarily heavy, forward beef cattle”.
“The heavy cattle trade has definitely picked up on last week, with bullocks selling from as high as €3.30/kg,” he said.
One of the top prices of the sale was for a 700kg Charolais bullock which went for €2,230 or €3.18/kg.
McElroy added that the strong demand from a range of feedlot, factory and Northern buyers contributed to a clearance rate of 98% at the sale.
He added that the number of heavy bullocks appearing at the Co. Meath mart has increased significantly on previous years, saying “they just seem to be coming out in droves”.
“More farmers seem to be coming to the mart with heavy cattle this year as opposed to the factory. Anyone i’m talking to at the mart who has sold heavy bullocks here are saying to me ‘they wouldn’t make the same money in the factory’,” said McElroy.
The Carnaross Mart manager expressed confidence of a strong cattle trade into the backend of the year saying “winter buyers seem confident on the trade going forward”.
Carnaross Mart hosts a weekly sale of bullocks, calves and runners every Monday at 11:00a.m. The mart also hosts a weekly heifer sale every Thursday at 11:00a.m.