The 43rd annual fatstock show and sale for bullocks and bulls took place on Saturday, January 27, at Carnew Mart, Co. Wicklow, with approximately 1,200 cattle on offer.
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Carnew Mart’s Eugene Clune said: “There was a roaring trade from start to finish”, and noted “the suckler-bred cattle are really moving into a different gear. You couldn’t value stock at the minute”.
He said: “Buyers from the north, south, east and west of the country were in attendance at the sale, with up to €4.10/kg paid for bullocks, while top-quality beef cattle sold between €3.40-€3.60/kg. Plainer types of fat cattle sold for over €3.00/kg.
Class 1: Best continental factory-type bullock:
- First: 878kg Limousin bullock sold for €3,600. Owner: Owen O’Neill;
- Second: 968kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,560. Owner: Patsy Fortune;
- Third: 968kg Belgian Blue bullock sold for €3,320. Owner: Patsy Fortune.
Class 2: Best two or more continental factory type bullocks:
- First: Two Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 847kg sold for €3,040. Owner: Patsy Fortune;
- Second: Two Belgian Blue bullocks with an average weight of 799kg sold for €2,860. Owner: Pat Murray;
- Third: Three Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 669kg sold for €2,210. Owners: Trevor and Andrew Minion.
“The top 14 beef cattle in the sale made from €3,000 to a top price of €3,600 for the champion Limousin-cross bullock sold by Owen O’Neill from Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow,” he added.
Weighing in at 878kg, the bullock sold for €3,600 or €4.10/kg and was bought by Harry Grufferty for Dawn Meats.
Class 3: Best non-continental factory type bullock:
- First: Four Angus bullocks weighing 702kg sold for €2,010. Owners: Henry and David Steacy;
- Second: Three Hereford bullocks weighing 686kg sold for €1,880. Owners: Henry and David Steacy
- Third: Hereford bullock weighing 636kg sold for €1,660. Owner: Eoin Rochford.
Class 4: Best two or more store bullocks:
- First: Two Parthenaise bullocks weighing 660kg each sold for €2,360. Owner: Ann Hardy;
- Second: Limousin bullock weighing 660kg sold for €2,260. Owner: John Jackson;
- Third: Two Parthenaise bullocks weighing 658kg sold for €2,140. Owner: Ann Hardy.
Hereford and Angus cattle were also described as “a very strong trade” with €2.80 -€3.10/kg “readily available” for weights over 500kg.
Class 5: Best continental store bullock:
- First: 702kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,440. Owner: W.M. Kelly;
- Second: 586kg Parthenaise bullock sold for €1,900. Owner: Ann Hardy;
- Third: 510kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,610. Owner: Kieran O’Brien.
Clune said forward stores “were in strong supply” with many specialist feeders on offer to buy the quality cattle on offer. €
3.10-€3.60/kg was paid for these sorts.
Weanling bulls at Carnew
Once the bullock sale wrapped up, the weanling bulls were next into the ring and met a powerful trade with “local farmers, specialist feeders and a number of exporters on hand both online and ringside”.
Clune said: “Bulls topped at €5.10/kg with a number of shapey, blue bulls making well in excess of €4.00/kg.
Class 6: Best continental weanling bull:
- First: Belgian Blue bull weighing 490kg sold for €2,500 or €5.10/kg. Owner: Shay Hayden;
- Second: Limousin bull weighing 448kg sold for €1,800. Owner: Owen O’Neill;
- Third: Belgian Blue bull weighing 474kg sold for €1,840. Owner: Michael Fogarty.
“In general, normal farmers’ bulls sold for between €3.20 and €3.60/kg while some plainer bulls sold for between €2.90-€3.10/kg.
“A few Friesian-cross bulls were on offer and sold for an average of €2.40/kg.”
Other notable prices from the sale:
- Limousin bull weighing 452kg sold for €2,160 or €4.78/kg;
- Belgian Blue bull weighing 492kg sold for €2,180 or €4.43/kg;
- Belgian Blue bull weighing 490kg sold for €2,140 or €4.37/kg;
- Parthenaise bullock weighing 922kg sold for €3,520 or €3.82/kg;
- Two Limousin bullocks weighing 847kg sold for €3040 or €3.59/kg
- Charolais bullock weighing 396kg sold for €1,300 or €3.28/kg;
- Six Limousin bullocks weighing 311kg sold for €1,080 or €3.47/kg.
Carnew Mart is set to host its annual fatstock show and sale of cows on Friday, February 2, and the fatstock show and sale of heifers will take place on Saturday, February 3.