Balla Mart in Co. Mayo hosted its weanling sale on Tuesday, October 29, with “a good trade seen for the quality cattle”, according to mart manager Michael Nolan.
The mart manager sad that the trade for strong calves “got dearer as the day progressed” and that “there were a lot of lighter/handier slips down in the weights on offer also that suited farmers for feeding, and the prices of these were up on last week”.
There was almost a full clearance in the sale and the trade for the quality weanling bulls was described as “very lively” with prices “dearer than last week and pushed on by strong export demand”.
Weanling bulls in the 200-350kg weight bracket averaged 3.48/kg, with the tops making from €4.00-5.00/kg.
The mart manager noted that a lot of these higher-priced weanlings were “all bought by farmers who upped their prices”.
The bull weanlings weighing from 350-450kg averaged €3.39/kg and got strong buying from exporters who were buying well and giving up to €4.00/kg for the quality, shapely lots.
Heavier bulls weighing over 450kg at Balla were well up in price and averaged €3.21/kg.
Some of the top prices from the bull sale at Balla went to a Belgian Blue-cross bull born in February 2024 that weighed 430kg and sold for €1,780 or €4.14/kg.
Another lighter Charolais bull weighing 305kg sold for €1,580 or €5.18/kg for a farmer from Tulrahan, Co. Mayo.
In the weanling heifer sale, the lighter store heifers in the 200 – 350kg weight range averaged 3.31/kg. Heifers weighing from 350-450kg averaged €3.32/kg.
Some of the notable prices in the weanling heifer sale went to a January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross bull sired by Dovea’s An De Beaufaux (BB4438). Weighing 405kg, this heifer made €2,740 or €6.77/kg for a farmer from Headford, Co. Galway.
The same farmer had another Belgian Blue cross heifer weighing 405kg that made €1,950 or €4.81/kg.
A lighter 285kg Limousin-cross heifer made €1,370 or €4.81/kg for a farmer from Manulla in Co. Mayo.