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.
Sample bullock prices (435-500kg):
- Charolais: 443kg – €1,060 or €2.39/kg;
- Limousin: 445kg – €1,060 or €2.38/kg;
- Limousin: 445kg – €1,140 or €2.56/kg;
- Belgian Blue: 485kg – €1,100 or €2.26/kg;
- Charolais: 475kg – €1,110 or €2.33/kg.
Heavier store bullocks weighing from 500kg to 600kg traded at an average of €2.05/kg.
Sample bullock prices (500-600kg):
- Charolais: 555kg – €1,280 or €2.30/kg;
- Angus: 570kg – €1,210 or €2.12/kg;
- Blonde d’Aquitaine: 575kg – €1,200 or €2.08/kg;
- Limousin: 590kg – €1,240 or €2.10/kg;
- Limousin: 665kg – €1,210 or €1.81/kg.
Forward steers sold to a high of €2.27/kg.
Sample bullock prices (600kg+):
- Limousin: 605kg – €1,230 or €2.03/kg;
- Charolais: 635kg – €1,340 or €2.11/kg;
- Hereford: 680kg – €1,330 or €1.95/kg;
- Angus: 685kg – €1,500 or €2.18/kg;
- Angus: 730kg – €1,630 or €2.23/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.
Sample heifer prices (435-500kg):
- Charolais: 440kg – €990 or €2.25/kg;
- Saler: 455kg – €1,030 or 2.26/kg;
- Limousin: 470kg – €1,180 or €2.51kg;
- Charolais: 485kg – €1,140 or €2.35/kg;
- Limousin: 490kg – €1,200 or €2.44/kg.
Heifers weighing between 500kg to 600kg sold from €1.73/kg up to €2.58/kg.
Sample heifer prices (500-600kg):
- Belgian Blue: 540kg – €1320 or €2.44/kg;
- Charolais: 535kg – €1,280 or €2.39/kg;
- Saler: 550kg – €1,210 or €2.20/kg;
- Charolais: 560kg – €1,220 or €2.17/kg;
- Charolais: 570kg – €1,470 or €2.57/kg.
The more forward-type heifer sold for an average of €1.95/kg.
Sample heifer prices (600kg+):
- Limousin: 615kg – €1,230 or €2.00/kg;
- Belgian Blue: 620kg – €1,340 or €2.16/kg;
- Hereford: 620kg – €1,280 or €2.06/kg;
- Hereford: 620kg – €1,150 or €1.85/kg;
- Angus: 730kg – €1,350 or €1.84/kg.