A Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA)-licenced livestock auctioneer is being sought to join a team for the rostrums of three marts in Co. Cork.
Cork Co-operative Marts Ltd., is seeking a candidate for Bandon, Fermoy and Macroom marts.
To be eligible for the vacancy, the successful auctioneer must have and in-depth knowledge and understanding of the livestock trade as well as previous experience with mart auctioneering.
Experience of online selling and basic IT skills are also essential.
Those who are interested in applying should contact Cork Marts before 5:00p.m on Friday, December 16.
Cork Marts was established in 1956. According to its website, it is a farmer-owned co-operative with 11,000 shareholders.
The chain of livestock marts sell approximately 190,000 cattle and calves, as well as 70,000 sheep annually, and also provides a service for live exports.
Mart sales
The news comes as the number of cattle being traded at marts is growing, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The table below shows the number of cattle sold at marts in the Republic of Ireland in the first 10 months of the past four years:
Month 2022 2021 2020 2019 January: 80,210 65,135 66,244 52,999 February: 154,497 131,437 142,979 136,365 March: 249,097 227,951 158,656 216,341 April: 216,303 207,523 78,398 234,053 May: 157,889 140,366 92,388 150,624 June: 110,653 89,872 96,266 80,759 July: 80,136 115,062 109,900 65,747 August: 117,102 115,974 115,845 77,413 September: 166,362 164,497 154,423 117,147 October: 237,556 236,821 209,432 204,816 November: 0 0 0 0 December: 0 0 0 0 Total: 1,569,805 1,494,638 1,224,531 1,336,264
With figures available as far back as 2019, this year is set to see the highest volume of cattle being sold at marts since then.
Numbers dipped in 2020 and the outbreak of Covid-19 likely attributed to this. The introduction of online bidding to Irish marts has certainly contributed to the growing numbers of cattle being sold at marts.