Tullow Livestock Mart, Co. Carlow, held its weekly cattle sale on Friday (August 7), where trade was "slightly easier" for beef though the absence of rain dominated discussions ringside.

Pasturebase Ireland data for Sunday, August 8, shows that Carlow had an average growth rate of 7kg dry matter (DM)/ha, the lowest in the country.

Met Éireann data for the same week shows soil moisture deficits ranging from 80-92mm in large parts of the county.

At Tullow Mart, store heifers ranging in weight from 350-485kg sold for between €1,280-€1,790/head.

The price per kg ranged from €3.65-€4.00/kg, down from last week's top price of €4.18/kg.

Beef heifers ranged from 500kg-935kg on the day, and sold for between €1,950-€3,000/head, averaging between €3.50-€4.20/kg.

Beef heifers fared slightly better than last week's trade with a 6c increase on the top price per kg.

The top call went to a 935kg Hereford-cross heifer that sold for €3,000 at €3.21/kg.

Another 800kg Angus-cross heifer sold for €2,600 at €3.25/kg.

Bullocks and bulls

Store bullocks weighing between 315-450kg sold for €1,280-€1,790/head or €3.65-€4.10/kg, down marginally on last week's top price/kg.

Beef bullock prices rebounded this week after a poor performance last week.

Beef bullocks weighing from 510-825kg sold for €1,700-€2,310/head, averaging from €3.33-€4.10/kg.

One notable sale saw five Angus-cross bullocks weighing 784kg going for €2,700/head at €3.44/kg.

There were also a number of beef bulls on sale.

One Friesian bull weighing 770kg sold for €2,775 at €3.60/kg, while another Friesian bull weighing 775kg sold for €2,990 at €3.86/kg.

A Limousin-cross bull weighing 775kg also sold for €2,990 at €3.86/kg.

Cows

Cull cows weighing from 460-785kg sold for between €780-€2,520/head. The price per kg ranged from €1.69-€3.21/kg.

Runners sold for between €420-€1,160/head while calves sold from €380-€420/head.

Some sample prices from the sale include:

A Limousin-cross heifer calf sold for €380;
A Belgian Blue cross heifer runner sold for €1,160.

A handful of cows with their calves at foot were also sold on the day.

One Angus-cross cow with an Angus-cross bull calf at foot sold for €2,890 for the set, while a Limousin-cross cow with an Angus-cross heifer calf at foot sold for €2,800.

In a mart report issued after the sale, the beef trade was described as "slightly easier" with this reflected in prices, but noted that factory agents were still active and looking to secure cattle, preventing deeper price cuts.

The reduction in store prices comes as beef quotas saw further cuts and winter fodder shortages are looking more likely with every week without sufficient rain.