If a farmer was looking to buy some quality continental store bullocks this week, Ballymahon Mart on Thursday (April 22), was one of they places they should have been looking.
Although numbers were not that high in this week’s sale, there were some nice entries of Charolais and Limousin bullocks.
In the majority of cases, the quality animals rightly met the quality prices on Thursday.
The main weight categories of stores bullocks were between 480-600kg, with Charolais and Limousin crosses dominating the breeding of these steers. Very few Angus or Hereford steers showed their heads at Ballymahon Mart this week.
In terms of prices, these continental bullocks sold up to €2.62/kg, and eased back to €2.19/kg – the general run of prices achieved were between €2.30-2.54/kg.
Looking at the lighter bullocks weighing between 390-475kg, these sold from €2.24/kg, up to €2.57/kg.
One of the talking points of the sale was when two October 2020-born Charolais bullocks weighing 275kg, sold for €820/head or €3.45/kg. The auctioneer on the day, Denis O’Rourke, was quick to advise the selling farmer to go home and bless the cows that they came from.
Heavy bullocks passing the 600kg mark were not too plentiful, but the ones that were on offer made from €2.18/kg up to €2.41/kg.
Click on a thumbnail in the gallery (below) to open up a full-size image; once opened you can scroll sideways to see the next picture. Refer to each caption to see details of each lot, including the hammer price.
Limousin bullock weighing 480kg sold for €1,190 or €2.48/kg 
Angus bullock weighing 520kg sold for €1,050 or €2.02/kg 
Charolais bullock weighing 520kg sold for €1,160 or €2.23/kg 
Charolais bullock weighing 495kg sold for €1,260 or €2.55/kg 
Charolais bullock weighing 475kg sold for €1,260 or €2.65/kg 
Charolais bullock weighing 650kg sold for €1,420 or €2.18/kg 
Limousin bullock weighing 420kg sold for €1,040 or €2.48/kg 
Limousin bullock weighing 440kg sold for €1,020 or €2.32/kg 
Limousin bullock weighing 445kg sold for €1,140 or €2.56/kg 
Charolais bullock weighing 560kg sold for €1,420 or €2.54/kg 
Limousin bullock weighing 485kg sold for €1,200 or €2.47/kg 
Charolais bullock weighing 345kg sold for €1,030 or €2.99/kg
Heifers
In the female side of the sale, there were slightly less numbers on offer in comparison to the bullocks – however continental breeding was just as popular.
Charolais and Limousin heifers weighing 400-500kg were selling evenly at prices from €2.24/kg, up to €2.66/kg. Females weighing in at 530-625kg were selling at €2.28/kg, up to €2.48/kg.
An entry of four Angus heifers weighing at 480-535kg witnessed prices achieved from €2.47/kg up to €2.61/kg.
Sample heifer prices:
- Limousin: 440kg – €1,080 or €2.45/kg;
- Charolais 450kg – €1,150 or €2.56/kg;
- Charolais: 475kg – €1,170 or €2.46/kg;
- Charolais: 495kg – €1,200 or €2.42/kg;
- Limousin: 520kg – €1,290 or €2.48/kg;
- Limousin: 530kg – €1,310 or €2.45/kg;
- Angus: 535kg – €1,350 or €2.52/kg;
- Limousin: 625kg – €1,450 or €2.32/kg.
Cull cows
There were only 11 cull cows up for grabs this week at Ballymahon Mart – but the ones on offer commanded a good trade.
Prices for continental-bred cows started at €1.73/kg, and topped at €2.32/kg for a Belgian Blue cow weighing 845kg.
Weanling prices at Ballymahon Mart
There were 37 weanlings entered into Thursday’s sale, with very few passing the 400kg mark.
Starting with the bulls, the continentals sold up to €3.11/kg, and eased back to €2.29/kg – with one outlying price of €2.19/kg. One Angus bull on offer fetched a price of €3.05/kg.
The weanling heifers sold at €2.41-3.00/kg for the Charolais and Limousin crosses. Angus-bred weanling heifers sold from €2.38/kg, up to €3.05/kg.
Sample weanling heifer prices:
- Angus: 260kg – €740 or €2.85/kg;
- Charolais: 280kg – €800 or €2.86/kg;
- Limousin: 295kg – €900 or €3.05/kg;
- Charolais: 330kg – €890 or €2.70/kg;
- Limousin: 360kg or €920 or €2.56/kg.