The trade at Carnew Mart over the weekend was described as ‘on fire’, with huge interest from buyers for all categories of quality cattle.
The mart hosted a stockbull sale, a suckler sale and an E and U-grade heifer and bullock sale on Saturday, April 2.
A total of 1,662 head of cattle went through the ring on the day and customers came from all over the country to buy.
At the sale, cull cows secured as high as €3.12/kg; steers fetched as high as €2,580; and heifers secured up to €4.00/kg.
Young bulls were in hot demand, with most quality lots making well over the €3.00/kg mark.
Other notable prices from the weekend included €1,160 for 10 Charlaois heifers, weighing 380kg, sold as one bunch.
Another impressive price from the sale was €1,700 for six Angus bullocks out of Friesian cows weighing 650kg.
Cows
Friday night’s sale (April 1) of cull cows was very lively, with more buyers active for the store cows while the beef cows went up another gear.
One impressive Limousin cow weighing 908kg sold for €2,650, or €2.91/kg, while €2,120 was paid for another 678kg Limousin cow.
Store cows sold for between €400 and €600, depending on their weight.
Friesian beef-cows sold to a top price of €1,710 for a 790kg cow.
Heifers and steers
On Saturday, the heifer trade was ‘electric’ according to yard manager Eugene Clune, with a massive show of both beef and store heifers.
As high as €4.00/kg was paid for a quality Belgian-Blue heifer weighing 398kg selling for €1,600.
Another notable price from the heifer ring went to a 333kg Parthenaise heifer which sold for €1,300 or €3.90/kg.
Top prices from the heifer ring:
- 622kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,000 or €3.22/kg;
- 646kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,940 or €3.00/kg;
- 572kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,700 or €2.97/kg;
- 328kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,100 or €3.35/kg;
- 336kg Belgian-Blue heifer sold for €1,300 or €3.87/kg;
- 408kg Belgian-Blue heifer sold for €1,420 or €3.48/kg.
Heavier-type beef heifers sold for up to €3.21/kg for a 622kg Limousin selling for €2,000.
Bullocks were also a very strong trade with a large number of buyers active on the day for all types of bullocks, both ringside and online.
Store bullocks sold for a top price of €3.14/kg for a 350kg continental-type store selling for €1,100.
Top prices from the bullock ring:
- 670kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,840 or €2.75/kg;
- 350kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,100 or €3.14/kg;
- 838kg Simmental bullock sold for €2,370 or €2.83/kg;
- Five 467kg Charolais bullocks sold for €1,400 or €3/kg;
- 400kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,170 or €2.93/kg.
Meanwhile, beef bullocks sold for as high as €3.20/kg for a 692kg Belgian Blue which made €2,210.
The bull sale at Carnew Mart had customers from Donegal to Kerry actively bidding away in an effort to buy cattle.
Top prices from the bull sale:
- 390kg Parthenaise-cross bull sold for €1,200 or €3.08/kg;
- 488kg Belgian Blue-cross bull sold for €1,700 or €3.48/kg;
- 316kg Parthenaise-cross bull sold for €1,000 or €3.16/kg;
- Four 470kg Charolis bulls sold for €1,470 each or €3.12/kg;
- Eight 383kg Limousin bulls sold for €1,200 each or €3.13/kg;
- 240kg Limousin bull sold for €720 or €3/kg.
A total of three exporters were on hand for suitable bulls, while farmers were very active for both heavy bulls to feed and lighter bulls to squeeze. The volume of customers at the bull ring resulted in a 100% clearance for Carnew Mart.