Pics and prices: Weanlings sell up to €3.33/kg at Ballyjamesduff Mart

Ballyjamesduff Mart hosted their second last weekly sale of weanlings dry cows and in-calf heifers for 2020. In total there were 314 lots on offer on Wednesday (December 9).

Farmers were out in force again this week; although northern customers were still taking advantage of the online bidding and played a major part in aiding the trade. Lower numbers of cattle were reported to be entered on Wednesday, in comparison to the previous week.

AgriLand took a visit to the Cavan-based mart on Wednesday to see the quality of stock on offer and get an insight into the trade.

Weanling trade

There was a good mixture of both ringside and online bidding in the weanling ring this week. The quality of weanlings on offer was slightly behind previous sales held in the mart this winter – however this is to be expected factoring in the time of year. Heavier weanlings (over 420kg) were not as plentiful this week.

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 heifer weighing 390kg sold for €850 or €2.17/kg

: Charolais heifer weighing 290kg sold for €810 or €2.79/kg

: Charolais bull weighing 420kg sold for €980 or €2.33/kg

: Charolais bull weighing 405kg sold for €850 or €2.09/kg

: Limousin bull weighing 370kg sold for €800 or €2.16/kg

: Limousin bull weighing 345kg sold for €900 or €2.60/kg

The weanling heifers reached highs of €3.33/kg and back to €2.00/kg. The continental bulls with quality traded at €2.10/kg up to €2.77/kg. Of the few Friesian bulls on offer, these sold back as far as €1.50/kg.

Sample weanling heifer prices:

Charolais: 415kg – €940 or €2.26/kg;
Limousin: 390kg – €850 or €2.17/kg;
Charolais: 355kg – €760 or €2.14/kg;
Charolais: 310kg – €630 or €2.03/kg;
Angus: 290kg – €600 or €2.06/kg;
Charolais: 290kg – €810 or €2.79/kg;
Charolais: 285kg – €720 or €2.52/kg;
Limousin: 255kg – €650 or €2.54/kg;
Angus: 255kg – €550 or €2.15/kg.

Sample weanling bull prices:

Limousin: 485kg – €910 or €1.87/kg;
Charolais: 420kg – €980 or €2.33/kg;
Charolais: 405kg – €850 or €2.09/kg;
Angus: 400kg – €810 or €2.02/kg;
Charolais: 400kg – €870 or €2.17/kg;
Charolais: 385kg – €950 or €2.46/kg;
Limousin: 385kg – €950 or €2.46/kg;
Hereford: 370kg – €690 or €1.86/kg;
Limousin: 325kg – €900 or €2.76/kg;
Limousin: 245kg – €680 or €2.77/kg.

Dry cow trade

There was plenty of forward dry cows on offer, as trade remained solid this week. Northern buyers were in action through the online platform, however, factory agents were still present at ringside to contest in the bidding.

: Limousin cow weighing 625kg sold for €1,690 or €2.29/kg

: Charolais cow weighing 870kg sold for €1,700 or €1.95/kg

: Limousin cow weighing 840kg sold for €1,560 or €1.85/kg

: Limousin cow weighing 625kg sold for €1,100 or €1.76/kg

: Friesian cow weighing 665kg sold for €890 or €1.33/kg

: Hereford cow weighing 890kg sold for €1,140 or €1.59/kg

Topping the trade at €2.29/kg or €1,690 was a 2017-born Limousin cow. Following this, continental-bred cows weighing over 700kg sold back to €1.95/kg in general.

Friesian-bred cows sold from €1.00-1.62/kg. One pedigree Charolais bull, weighing 1,010kg, was offered €1,520 or €1.50/kg.

Sample dry cow prices:

Hereford: 890kg – €1,460 or €1.64/kg;
Charolais: 870kg – €1,700 or €1.95/kg;
Limousin: 840kg – €1,560 or €1.85/kg;
Angus: 795kg – €1,400 or €1.76/kg;
Charolais: 755kg or €1,550 or €2.05/kg;
Saler: 715kg – €1,050 or €1.45/kg;
Limousin: 670kg – €1,160 or €1.73/kg;
Friesian: 645kg – €690 or €1.06/kg;
Friesian: 665kg – €890 or €1.33/kg;
Limousin: 625kg – €1,100 or €1.76/kg.

From a selection of 15 dairy in-calf heifers on offer, they traded from €1,170-1,560/head.

There was also a special entry of 30 commercial in-calf heifers on Wednesday. These heifers attracted a lot of interest on the day and sold at €2,320 back to €1,100.