A selection of this week’s mart reports.
Raphoe, Donegal
At yesterday’s cattle mart in Raphoe top-class bulls over 600kgs were making €465 to €900 over the weight during the past week, according to Anne Harkin, its mart manager. Beef bullocks were back on last week’s trade and were making €385 to €825 over.
Store bullocks made from €305 to €825 over the weight. Beef heifers were selling from €490 to €945 over the weight with lighter store heifers €300 to €725. Dry cows, which are out in big numbers throughout the country, were making €700 to €1770 each in Raphoe.
Monday’s sheep sale in Raphoe saw store lambs make €25 to €55 over the weight. Factory lambs were selling for €30 to €58. Heavier Butcher lambs were making €39 to €62 with the weight. Fat ewes ranging from €46 to €88 each and hoggets at the sale were being sold for €90 to €105 each.
Castlerea, Roscommon
There were two marts on in Castlerea this week. On Monday 400 bullocks were on offer. Quality was high in the sale offer and this was reflected in the prices paid with bullocks making up to €1030 over their weight and an average price of €612 over paid, according to Brendan Egan, mart manager.
Sample prices on the day included: Ch 475kgs €1300 Lim 450kgs €1230 Ch 540kgs €1470 Lim 545kgs €1450 AA 510kgs €1325 Ch 595kgs €1625 Ch 615kgs €1605 Ch 715kgs €1705.
A larger sale of heifers, cows and weanlings took place on Thursday. In total 1,000 cattle were on offer, with prices remaining stable for the heifers, breeding stock and quality weanlings, noted Egan. Plainer-type stock tended to be a little harder sold this week, with the buyers becoming more selective and the gap between the quality lots and plainer types reflected in the prices paid.
Sample prices on the day included: Heifers: Lim 420kgs €1135, AA 390kgs €1065, Lim 490kgs €1285, Lim 570kgs €1415, Ch 620kgs €1380, AA 660kgs €1440.
Dry cows: Ch 800kgs €1590, BBX 820kgs €1575, AA 660kgs €1315, Lim 760kgs €1420,Lim 490kgs €780. Cows with calves at foot made from €1180 to €1520. Springer cows made from €880 to €1810 per head. Weanling bulls: Ch 290kgs €880, Ch 260kgs €830, Lim 450kgs €1320, Ch 520kgs€1180, Ch 510kgs €1180.Weanling Heifers: Ch 295kgs €890, Ch 275kgs €830, Limx 330kgs €1030, BBX 350kgs €1090, BB 310kgs €920.
Elphin, Roscommon
Also in Roscommon this week was a large weanling sale in Elphin. There were some large prices given at the sale with up to €3.50 per kg, according to its weekly report. Some of the highlights from the sale include Ch 405kg €1450, BB 430kg €1370, Ch 365kg €1390, Ch 345kg €1330. Average prices for heifer weanlings at the sale €2.90-€3.10 per kg.
Sales Ring. Photo O’Gorman Photography