Golden Vale Marts held its weekly cattle sale in Kilmallock Mart on Monday (July 27), where 730 stock went through the ring, with the stand-out trade being the sale of a Limousin calf.

The calf was a four-week-old Limousin-cross heifer weighing 86kg that made €9.42/kg, totalling €810.

The bullock ring saw bullocks weighing less than 550kg, typically store cattle, sell for up to €2,030/head, peaking at €4.48/kg.

The top call went to a pen of four 540kg Simmental-cross bullocks that sold for €2,030/head at €3.76/kg.

The top call per kg went to two Angus-cross bullocks weighing 355kg each, selling for €1,590/head, at €4.48/kg.

Heavier bullocks sold up to €2,630/head, fetching up to €3.81/kg. The top call went to a 740kg Hereford cross bullock sold for €2,630 at €3.55/kg.

Dry cows sold for up to €2,120/head or €3.11/kg. The top call went to a 750kg Friesian cow for €2,120, equivalent to €2.83/kg.

Some further sample prices from the sale include:

A 450kg Friesian cow sold for €1,400 at €3.11/kg;
A 640kg Friesian cow sold for €1,750 at €2.73/kg;
A 675kg Angus-cross cow sold for €2,000 at 2.96/kg.

GVM Kilmallock confirmed to Agriland that cull cows are coming out due to grass shortages and that there is a strong trade for them.

Generally some of these cows would not be sold until October/November.

Light heifers sold for up to €1,790/head and up to €4.12/kg. The top call went to a 450kg Blonde d'Aquitaine heifer that sold for €1,790, at €3.98/kg.

A 325kg Wagyu-cross heifer sold for €1,340 at €4.12/kg. Three 490kg Angus-cross heifers sold for €1,650/head at €3.37/kg.

Heavy heifers sold for up to €2,310/head and up to €3.77 per kg. The top call went to a 650kg Limousin-cross heifer sold for €2,130 at €3.28/kg.

Some further prices for heavy heifers include:

Six Charolais-cross heifers weighing on average 595kg sold for €2,180/head at €3.66/kg;
580kg Limousin-cross heifer sold for €2,140 at €3.69/kg;
Five Angus-cross heifers weighing on average 601kg sold for €2,040/head at €3.39/kg.

Tullamore

Golden Vale Marts also held their weekly suckler and young stock sale in Tullamore, on Monday (July 27), where there was good demand for beef, but store cattle began to show signs of grass supply impacting trade.

Suckler cows with calves saw prices from an average of €2,400/head to the €3,380 paid for a 335kg Limousin-cross cow and her calf.

The suckler trade consisted of younger cows (mainly first calvers) and a 780kg Limousin springer sold for €2,960.

The weanling bull sale saw some impressive trades as a 310kg Limousin weanling bull sold for €1,660 at €5.35/kg. Another 315kg Limousin weanling bull sold for €1,640 at €5.21/kg.

Weanling heifers saw prices from €1,220-€2,200/head. The top call went to a 475kg Charolais weanling heifer sold for €2,200 at €4.63/kg.

Below are some other prices for weanling heifers:

A 345kg Parthenaise weanling heifer sold for €1,580 at €4.58/kg;
A 245kg Limousin weanling heifer sold for €1,220 at €4.98/kg;
A 415kg Charolais weanling heifer sold for €2,000 at €4.82/kg.

The sale also saw a number of calves and runners on offer with these peaking at €780/head for a pen of three Angus calves.

There was two dry cows on offer with best being an 850kg Belgian Blue cow sold for €3,260 at €3.84/kg.