Kilkenny Mart held its weekly cattle sale on Thursday (August 20), as 980 cattle went through the ring, with quality being rewarded.

Bullocks and bulls in the 600kg category saw prices average at €3.50/kg, or €2,400/head.

The top sale of the day was the €3,830 paid for a 1,080kg Charolais bull that sold for €3.55/kg.

Two 825kg Friesian bullocks made €2,600/head at €3.15/kg, while two 720kg Angus bullocks sold for €2,620 at €3.64/kg.

Another 690kg Belgian Blue bullock sold for €2,810 at €4.07/kg.

Bullocks in the 500-600kg range averaged €1,970/head at €3.65/kg.

The top call was of €2,460/head for two Charolais bullocks weighing 575kg at €4.28/kg.

Other sample bullock prices from the sale include:

Three Charolais bullocks weighing on average 550kg, sold for €2,370/head at €4.31/kg;
Seven Angus bullocks weighing on average 530kg sold for €2,020/head at €3.81/kg.

Bullocks in the 400-500kg range averaged €3.55/kg at €1,580/head.

A pen of six Charolais bullocks weighing on average 493kg sold for €2,260/head, the top call of the day, at €4.58/kg.

Another pen of six Friesian bullocks weighing on average 415kg sold for €1,300/head at €3.13/kg, while five Hereford bullocks weighing on average 460kg sold for €1,870/head at €4.07/kg.

Store bullocks averaged €3.75/kg and €1,350/head in Kilkenny.

A pen of five Charolais bullocks weighing on average 395kg sold for €1,430/head at €3.62/kg.

Another pen of 12 Angus bullocks weighing on average 380kg sold for €1,290/head at €3.39/kg.

Cows and heifers

The cull cow trade saw Friesian cows go from €1.55-€3.00/kg while continental cull cows went for €2.20-€3.90/kg.

Beef heifers averaged €3.60/kg and €2,230/head. The top call went to a 810kg Limousin heifer that sold for €2,860 at €3.53/kg.

Other notable sales include the €2,330 paid for a 570kg Charolais heifer at €4.09/kg, and the €2,560/head paid for two 720kg Angus heifers sold at €3.56/kg.

Forward store heifers sold for an average of €1,685/head at €3.70/kg.

The top sale of €2,040/head was for the five Charolais heifers weighing 450kg sold at €4.53/kg.

Notable sales in the heifer ring included:

Three Limousin heifers weighing an average of 510kg that sold for €1,640/head at €3.22/kg;
Five Charolais heifers weighing an average of 485kg sold for €1,760/head at €3.63/head;
Two 465kg Hereford heifers sold for €1,540/head at €3.31/kg.

Light store heifers averaged €3.70/kg and totalled an average of €1,280/head in Kilkenny Mart.

The top call of €1,560 went to two 360kg Limousin heifers at €4.33/kg.

The top call per kg went to a pen of five Charolais heifers weighing an average of 195kg sold for €5.23/kg totalling €1,020/head.

Other sales included the €1,200/head paid for two 270kg Charolais heifers at €4.44/kg, and the €1,560 paid for two 360kg Limousin heifers sold at €4.33/kg.

Commenting on the sale, Kilkenny Mart auctioneer George Candler said that quality was varied but that the cattle he described as "the real mcCoy" sold well.

He noted how most cattle struggled to break €4.00/kg, a trend that has been seen increasingly, around the country.

He added: "The bulk of beef bullocks and heifers are ranging from €3.30 to €3.80 per kilo."