Carnaross Mart in Co. Meath hosted its weekly sale of calves and bullocks on Monday, January 22.
While numbers were back slightly as a result of Storm Isha which hit the country on Sunday, January 21, the previous day’s stormy weather failed to dampen the demand, with high clearances achieved in both the calf sale and the bullock sale.
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Carnaross Mart’s manager, Padraig McElroy, said the real premium prices in the calf sale were going to the beef-sired bull and heifer calves over 70kg, while the bullock sale witnessed a good demand across the board.
Calf sale
There were approximately 160 calves and runners on offer in the calf ring at the Monday sale.
The mart manager expects the numbers of calves on offer in the sale to grow significantly into February and March as peak calving season kicks off on dairy farms.
McElroy said calves are currently “a good trade” and noted: “There’s not that many young calves out yet. It is the end of February when they generally come out.”
Sample prices from the calf sale:
He said that farmer customers are buying the largest share of calves in the mart at present and are “very keen for the early ones”, while exporters are not as active yet.
Prices from the calf sale included a 70kg Hereford-cross bull calf that sold for €360, while two reared Limousin heifers weighing 142kg sold for €550/head.
“A good beef-cross calf weighing over 75kg is coming into €350, but the same weight of a Friesian calf is making a lot less,” he commented.
Bullocks at Carnaross
Despite a large number of entries cancelled due to the storm, there were still over 220 bullocks on offer in the Monday sale at Carnaross.
The mart manager said: “Overall, it was a great trade for heavy cattle. The top price/kilograms on the day was for a 690kg Charolais bullock that sold for €2,350 or €3.41/kg, while the highest overall price went to a 790kg Limousin bullock that sold for €2,600.
“Beef finishers and factory agents are both very active around the ring at this sale.”
Auctioneer Niall Reilly from Ardee, Co. Louth, was on the rostrum selling the bullocks on the day.
Sample prices from the bullock sale:
McElroy noted that the trade is predominantly being driven by the home market at present, and he described buying activity from customers in Northern Ireland as “steady but not too exciting”.
He added that the lighter-type bullocks for grass this year are making good money also, with a 545kg Charolais store bullock making €1,700 or €3.12/kg and another 530kg bullock making €1,690 with a 520kg bullock making €1,680 or €3.23/kg.
Concluding, he emphasised that customers seem “very anxious for heavy cattle”, and added that the prices being achieved for heavy cattle are a reflection of this demand.