Cattle numbers increased and prices remained “very strong” at Kilcullen Mart’s weekly cattle sale on Wednesday, June 22.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, auctioneer John Osborne noted there were approximately 550 cattle on offer at the Co. Kildare mart’s weekly sale.

Osborne noted that over the past six weeks, “numbers have increased by approximately 25% on last year’s levels”.

Osborne believes a large proportion of the increasing numbers is coming from cows and out of spec cattle which, he explained, “continue to meet a powerful trade” at the mart.

One farmer sold three Speckle Park bullocks at the sale with the oldest, heaviest, bullock being over six years old (spring 2016 born).

The bullocks weighed 1,100kg, 1,000kg and 900kg and sold for €3,000, €2,800 and €2,460 respectively.

Commenting on the trade, Osborne noted that in some cases, out of spec cattle are making as much per kilo as in-spec cattle at the marts, especially in the heavier categories.

“There seems to be a lot of strong customers for heavy cattle, regardless of age, weight or spec.”

Commenting on the cow trade, Osborne said: “We had Friesian cows weighing 740kg getting into €1,480 and in some cases, over the €2/kg mark. This time last year that cow would of been back at €1,100.”

The auctioneer noted that the bigger finishers are still anxious for cattle and are driving the trade for strong cattle with the lighter store buyers following suit.

He said that top-quality stores are making as high as €3.50/kg with €1,800 paid at the sale for a 540kg continental store bullock “that would be a shed bullock until January,” he explained.

“Lighter Angus dairy-bred cattle weighing 400kg are getting into €1,050-€1,100 and continental cattle weighing 500kg are getting into €1,300 no problem and not as many of them around.

“Farmers are moving out cattle earlier at marts this year and are getting well paid for it,” he added.

Osborne believes heavy cattle are becoming a scarcity, saying “a lot of these have gone through the marts already with the strong prices seen at Kilcullen and other marts over the past number of weeks”.

“Normally, at this time of the year, our numbers would be falling down whereas this year, they’re ramping up. It’s surprising the number of cattle that are coming trough.”

Concluding, Osborne noted he doesn’t expect numbers to increase much further at Kilcullen Mart next month, saying: “If numbers hold at current levels for July, we will be very happy.”