Ballinasloe Mart in Co. Galway hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Wednesday (April 12) with approximately 300 bullocks, heifers, and cows on offer.
Commenting on the trade, Ballinasloe Mart manager Eilish Curley said: “We had a powerful sale here last week with a good clearance and huge demand for stock.
“The stand out price from the Wednesday sale had to be the cull cow that made €3,500.
The crossbred continental cow weighed in at an impressive 1,230kg and sold for €3,500, or €2.85/kg.
Commenting on the trade for store cattle, the Ballinasloe Mart manager said: “The lighter-type store cattle for grass were scarce on Wednesday.
“The bad weather this week likely resulted in farmers holding off on selling for another week or so.”
Sample store prices:
- 530kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,830 or €3.45/kg;
- 715kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,100 or €2.94/kg/kg;
- 470kg Saler-cross bullock sold for €1,320 or €2.81/kg.
She explained that factory agents and finishers were all active for the stronger, forward cattle suitable for a shed finish, while grass buyers were securing the lighter-type cattle with plenty of demand despite the poor weather last week.
Eilish believes the numbers of cattle at the sale will remain firm for the next few weeks before easing off into the summer months.
The mart manager added that the heavy rainfall experienced recently is wreaking havoc on many farms in the region surrounding Ballinasloe and many farmers have large areas of land that remain flooded.
Ballinasloe sheep sale
The weekly sheep sale took place at Ballinasloe on Thursday (April 13) with the numbers of sheep on offer up slightly on the previous week.
The top prices paid for factory hoggets was €172/head and the top prices paid for cull ewes was €218.