Increase of online buyers at Tullamore Mart
On Thursday, November 12, Tullamore Mart held its weekly sale of bullocks and heifers, with a total of 360 cattle entered.
Heifer entries were slightly behind compared to last week, but overall mart manager Antoinette Daly was happy with the number of stock brought forward for sale.
Antoinette noted this week that there has been an increase in buyers that would not usually purchase cattle very often in mart.
We have buyers that wouldn’t normally be here at our Thursday sales now purchasing online. These are buyers from further up the country that usually wouldn’t travel, so there is some positivity with the online system.
“There was a great clearance and farmers are adapting much better to the online purchasing now.
“We have more farmers that are buying cattle without seeing them at all and they seem to be happy enough with it. They haven’t got a shock when it comes to collecting their animals, so they are very satisfied.”
The trade for the lighter store bullocks, weighing slightly under 500kg, proved that they are still in demand by some farmers as they sold to an average of €2.18/kg.
Heavier store bullocks weighing from 500kg to 600kg traded at an average of €2.05/kg.
Forward steers sold to a high of €2.27/kg.
The heifers recorded a “good trade”, according to Antoinette. With the lighter store-heifers, weighing under 500kg, recording the best prices and achieving an average of €2.10/kg.
Heifers weighing between 500kg to 600kg sold from €1.73/kg up to €2.58/kg.
The more forward-type heifer sold for an average of €1.95/kg.
