Last week, marts across the country were still reporting that heavier store steers were still trading well and confidence amongst buyers was not faltering. According to reports, cull cow prices in some marts seemed to have taken a slight dip in the past week.

AgriLand highlights the trade for cattle at weekly sales hosted in Kilkenny, Ballymahon and Baltinglass Marts.

Kilkenny Mart

The trade for store bullocks last Thursday (November 5) in Kilkenny Mart was described as being “excellent”, according to the mart’s auctioneer, George Candler.

He explained: “Beef bullocks were in short supply, which could be an indication that supplies are drying up.”

The short supply may have aided the trade for the bullocks on offer as he stated: “Forward store bullocks received a top call of €2.45/kg. Light bullocks and heifers peaked at €2.40/kg.”

Heavier steers, weighing over 600kg, traded at a price range from €1.80/kg to €2.45/kg.

Sample prices for bullocks (600kg+):

  • Limousin: 655kg –  €1,500 or €2.29/kg;
  • Friesian: 645kg – €1,160 or €1.80/kg;
  • Charolais: 610kg – €1,390 or €2.28/kg;
  • Limousin: 600kg – €1,360 or €2.27/kg.

Forward store bullocks, weighing between 500kg to 600kg, traded at prices from €950 to €1,280 per head.

Sample prices for bullocks (500-600kg):

  • Angus: 570kg – €1,130 or €1.98/kg;
  • Friesian: 560kg – €1,040 or €1.86/kg;
  • Charolais: 545kg – €1,280 or €2.35/kg;
  • Limousin: 510kg – €1,190 or  €2.33/kg.

The lighter store bullocks, with weights from 400kg to 500kg, sold from €1.70/kg to €2.40/kg.

Sample prices for bullocks (400-500kg):

  • Friesian: 495kg – €930 or €1.88/kg;
  • Simmental: 485kg – €1,150 or  €2.37/kg;
  • Angus: 475kg – €850 or €1.79/kg;
  • Hereford: 415kg – €800 or €1.93/kg.

In the beef heifer trade, heavier females with weights in excess of 560kg sold between €1.80 to €2.20/kg.

Sample prices of heifers (560kg+):

  • Limousin: 675kg – €1,470 or €2.18/kg;
  • Charolais: 655kg – €1,260 or €1.92/kg;
  • Belgian Blue: 590kg – €1,210 or €2.05/kg;
  • Hereford: 560kg – €1,050 or €1.88/kg.

Forward store heifers sold from €1.70 to €2.35/kg.

Sample prices for forward store heifers:

  • Limousin: 510kg – €1,000 or €1.96/kg;
  • Charolais: 480kg – €960 or €2.00/kg;
  • Simmental: 465kg – €1,080 or €2.32/kg.

Lighter store heifers, under 400kg, met a good trade with females selling from €1.80/kg to €2.30/kg.

Sample prices for lighter store heifers:

  • Limousin: 395kg – €810 or €2.05/kg;
  • Angus: 340kg – €660 or €1.94/kg;
  • Angus: 330kg – €660 or €2.00/kg;
  • Charolais: 295kg – €590 or €2.00/kg.

In the cull cow ring, prices seemed to be back on previous weeks, as Friesian and continental-bred cows traded from €0.75/kg to €1.35/kg.

Ballymahon Mart

Ballymahon Mart held its weekly sale of weanlings last Saturday (November 7). A total of 70 heifers and close to 95 bull weanlings were traded on the day.

Commenting on the numbers brought forward for sale, a mart spokesperson stated: “Weanling heifer numbers were up last week, with the number of bulls being similar enough to the previous week.”

From viewing the sample prices, it was the lighter weanling again that commanded a good trade.

Prices for heifer weanlings ranged from €1.89/kg up to €3.00/kg.

Sample heifer weanling prices:

  • Charolais: 430kg – €1,000 or €2.32/kg;
  • Charolais: 380kg – €1,000 or €2.63/kg;
  • Limousin: 370kg – €720 or €1.94/kg;
  • Limousin: 330kg – €720 or €2.18/kg;
  • Charolais: 320kg – €840 or €2.62/kg;
  • Charolais: 310kg – €760 or €2.45/kg;
  • Simmental: 280kg – €820 or €2.92/kg;
  • Angus: 290kg – €590 or €2.03/kg;
  • Angus: 270kg – €600 or €2.22/kg.

Bull weanlings traded from €1.85/kg up to a high of €3.17/kg.

Sample bull weanling prices:

  • Charolais: 395kg – €890 or €2.25/kg;
  • Hereford: 385kg – €740 or €2.14/kg;
  • Limousin: 380kg – €840 or €2.21/kg;
  • Charolais: 375kg – €780 or €2.08/kg;
  • Limousin: 345kg – €840 or €2.43/kg;
  • Limousin: 305kg – €800 or €2.62/kg;
  • Limousin: 300kg – €730 or €2.43/kg;
  • Charolais: 285kg – €870 or €3.05/kg;
  • Charolais: 280kg – €890 or €3.17/kg;
  • Limousin: 265kg – €830 or €3.13/kg.

Baltinglass Mart

Baltinglass Mart hosted its weekly cattle sale last Wednesday (November 4).

According to the mart’s manager, Tom Coleman: “The trade on the day was very good for the good forward store bullock and heifer, provided they were in-spec. The 2019-born continental bullock, that would be an R-grade all the way up to a U-grade, were really popular.

“Anything with four moves or over 30 months were found that bit harder to sell.

“The cows were a good trade, considering they were down in price in the factories, but they were back a slight bit compared to last week. Cows made from €810 up to €1,080.”

Sample prices for bullocks:

  • Charolais: 600kg – €1,210 or €2.01/kg;
  • Limousin: 550kg – €1,150 or €2.09/kg;
  • Limousin: 520kg – €1,070 or €2.05/kg;
  • Charolais: 475kg – €1,020 or €2.14/kg;
  • Limousin: 460kg – €1,010 or €2.19/kg;
  • Charolais: 480kg – €920 or €1.91/kg;
  • Simmental: 360kg – €710 or €1.97/kg.

Sample prices for heifers: 

  • Charolais: 550kg -€1060 or €1.92/kg;
  • Charolais: 480kg – €1040 or €2.16/kg;
  • Simmental: 500kg – €950 or €1.92/kg;
  • Charolais: 435kg – €920 or €2.11/kg.