Marts around the country have reported good numbers and a strong trade this week with Balla, Macroom, Raphoe and Carnew marts all recording good business at their most recent mart sales.

Balla Mart

Balla Mart had a sale on Saturday, April 22, with about 1,050 lots on offer.

It was described as one of the best trades of the year so far, with “excellent” prices paid for store bullocks and springer cows.

Store bullocks in the 400kg and lighter category made from €550 to €850 with the weight. They averaged from €2.70/kg. The best in this category was a 365kg Limousin animal, born in February 2016, which sold for €1,190.

Bullocks in the 400kg to 500kg category averaged €2.48/kg. The top animal, a 495kg Charolais cross born in October 2015, made €1,425.

Bullocks over 500kg traded very well but numbers are dwindling. They averaged €2.31/kg. The best animal was a 665kg Belgian Blue cross, born in March 15, which sold for €1,735 (€1,040 with the weight).

Sample steer prices:
  • Limousin: 275kg – €1,000 or €3.46/kg
  • Limousin: 365kg – €1,190 or €3.26/kg
  • Charolais: 495kg – €1,425 or €2.88/kg
  • Limousin: 540kg – €1,395 or €2.58/kg
  • Belgian Blue: 665kg – €1,735 or €2.61/kg

There were 350 lots of heifers at the sale, for which there was a strong trade.

In the 400kg and below category, animals averaged €2.62/kg. The best of these was a 395kg Limousin cross heifer, born in March 16, which sold for €1,040 or €2.63/kg.

Heifers over 400kg made an average of €2.37/kg. The best of these was a 485kg Charolais (sold for breeding), born in October 2015 which made €1,620 (€3.34/kg) or €1,135 with the weight.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Charolais: 280kg – €940 or €3.36/kg
  • Limousin: 395kg – €1,040 or €2.63/kg
  • Charolais: 485kg – €1,620 or €3.34/kg
  • Charolais: 575kg – €1,430 or €2.49/kg

Moving to cows, a four-year-old Limousin cow with a Limousin bull calf at foot made €2,260. In the dry cow market, a 870kg Limousin sold for €2.08/kg. The average price for dry cows on the day stood at €1.74/kg.

Macroom Mart

Macroom Mart reported very good numbers with a “super” trade, particularly for bullocks. There were 500 bullocks on sale, with a total clearance reported.

Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €260 to €640 over the euro per kilo. A snapshot of prices was given as: three Hereford 540kg bullocks sold for €1,180; two 485kg Hereford bullocks sold for €1,110; while three 440kg Angus bullocks made €1,060.

Continental bullocks sold from €325 to €795 over the euro per kilo. Given examples were: two 385kg Limousin bullocks which went for €1,180; and two 345kg Charolais animals which made €1,000.

Heifers were not quite as good; they made from €245 to €635 over the euro per kilo.

Examples given were: two 495kg Simmental heifers which went for €1,120; two 405kg Charolais heifers which sold for €1,040; and three 355kg Charolais animals which made €915.

Raphoe Mart

Raphoe Mart, which had a sale on Thursday, April 20, also reported “strong” trade. There were good numbers and good trade for all types of cattle. Farmers, shippers, agents and feedlot buyers were present.

Bulls over 600kg made from €600 to €1,250 over (2.10/kg to €3.10/kg).

Beef bullocks sold for €740 to €940 over, with store bullocks making €400 to €840 over (€2.20/kg to €2.80/kg).

Beef heifers went for €500 to €995 over, while store heifers made €350 to €735 over (€2.20/kg to €3.00/kg). Dry cows sold for €650 to €1,470 each.

Carnew Mart

Carnew Mart held a dairy sale last Thursday, April 20. “Good” trade was seen for all types, with a full clearance reported of the 80 animals on sale.

Freshly-calved heifers made between €1,100 and €1,640, while freshly-calved cows made from €900 to €1,460.

Springing in-calf autumn heifers made €800 to €1,000, while bullying heifers made €630 to €860.

Friesian heifer calves sold for €180 to €230.

Carnew also had a cattle sale on Saturday, April 22, with large numbers of animals on sale – a total of 1,115 cattle and 415 calves.

“Very strong” trade for both beef and store cattle was reported, along with improved factory demand and more grass customers. Weanling bulls met a strong demand from farmers and for export.

Sample prices:
  • Beef and forward bullocks went for €660 to €1040 over.
  • Continental store bullocks made €450 to €920 over.
  • Weanling bulls sold for €510 to €870 over.
  • Friesian bullocks made €210 to €685 over.
  • Beef heifers sold for €560 to €985 over, while store heifers sold for €320 to €785 over.
  • Beef cows traded from €450 to €835 over.
  • Store cows made €210 to €615 over.

There was also good farmer and export demand for the calves on sale, with prices similar to last week. A top price of €485 was recorded for a Charolais bull calf.

The continental bull calves on offer traded from €220 to €485, while their counterpart heifers made €160 to €415.

There was also a number of Friesian bulls on offer. These lots traded from €80 to €215 each. The Hereford/Angus bulls sold from €160 to €330, while similar heifers made €120 to €285.