The mart trade over the past week has experienced further record price statistics with as high as €4,780 paid for a 1,020kg Charolais heifer at Kilkenny Mart and bullocks in the 300-400kg weight category averaging €4.35/kg at Balla Mart in Co. Mayo.

There were over 1,100 cattle on offer at Kilkenny Mart, with bullock prices peaking at €3,080 for a 695kg Charolais bullock and heifer prices peaking with the 1,020kg Charolais heifer making €4,780.

This was "a price we never saw before at a general cattle sale", according to Kilkenny Mart manager, George Candler.

Bullocks over 600kg averaged €3.90/kg with bullocks in the 500-600kg weight category averaging €4.04/kg and 400-500kg bullocks averaging €3.99/kg.

Lighter bullocks below 400kg averaged €3.71/kg. A pen of 16 Friesian bullocks with an average weight of 314kg made €3.25/kg or €1,020/head. Two Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 380kg made €1,750 or or €4.61/kg.

In the cull cow sale at Kilkenny Mart, Friesians made from €1.70-3.55/kg with continental cull cows making from €2.40-4.07/kg.

Beef heifers averaged €4.26/kg in the sale with forward-store heifers averaging €3.78/kg and lighter store heifers averaging €3.70/kg.

A group of six Hereford heifers with an average weight of 315kg sold for €3.78/kg or €1,190/head. Seven Angus heifers weighing 450kg sold for €3.89/kg or €1,750/head.

Store cattle prices were up €1/kg on average from the same sale of 2024 at Balla Mart in Co. Mayo on Saturday, March 22.

Bullocks weighing from 300-400kg averaged €4.35/kg with store bullocks weighing from 400-500kg averaging €4.26/kg while heavier bullocks weighing over 500kg averaged €4.12/kg.

A May-2024-born Charolais bullock weighing 370kg sold for €2,080 or €5.62/kg for a Westport-based farmer who also had another 310kg bullock making €1,860 or €6.00/kg.

Another Kiltimagh-based farmer sold a 670kg bullock for €3,000 or €4.48/kg and a 565kg bullock for €2,740 or €4.85/kg.

A 750kg Limousin bullock sold for €3,100 or €2,350 with their weight or €4.13/kg for a farmer from Swinford. This one was purchased by a Northern-based factory buyer.

Mart trade - bullock prices from Balla Mart:

260kg Charolais sold for €1,380 or €5.31/kg;
310kg Charolais sold for €1,860 or €6.00/kg;
370kg Charolais sold for €2,080 or €5.62/kg;
440kg Charolais sold for €2,260 or €5.14/kg;
565kg Charolais sold for €2,760 or €4.85/kg;
670kg Charolais sold for €3,000 or €4.48/kg.

There was "a fine yard of heifers and nice, light stock were dearer again this week with strong demand from farmers", according to mart management.

Store heifers were described as "a mighty trade", the best of which were making over €4.50/kg.

Lighter store heifers weighing from 300-400kg averaged €4.02/kg with heifers weighing from 400-500kg averaging €4.22/kg and heifers weighing over 500kg making €4.14/kg.

A 355kg Charolais store heifer made €1,890 or €5.64/kg with another March-2024-born 390kg Charolais heifer making €2,350 or €5.11/kg.

An 815kg Charolais heifer made €3,530 or €4.33/kg that went to a buyer from North Ireland and another 690kg heifer sold for €3,080 or €4.46/kg.

Heifer prices from Balla Mart:

275kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €1,270 or €4.62/kg;
335kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,890 or €5.64/kg;
390kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,100 or €5.38/kg;
460kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,350 or €5.11/kg;
690kg Charolais heifer sold for €3,080 or €4.46/kg;
815kg Charolais heifer sold for €3,530 or €4.33/kg.

In the dry cow sale, cows over 500kg averaged €3.62/kg with the tops making from €4-4.50/kg.

A 12-year-old 955kg dry cow sold for €3,860 and another dry cow weighing 725kg made €3,400 bought by another Northern factory buyer.