Cattle margin continues to widen
Prices for all types of cattle slipped further, but the biggest impact was felt for the plain animals, with poor quality Friesian and Holsteins bullocks selling at €/kg - and fewer interested customers for these animals at the ringsides. A difference of €200-€270/head has opened up between similar weight quality continentals and plain Friesian-Holstein bullocks
Pressure on factory prices and uncertainty as to the impact of the removal of the OTM ban in Britain will have on the beef trade over the next six to nine months is contributing to the weakening of the market for store cattle.
There was a fine sale of bullocks at Bandon Mart yesterday with quality again to the fore, while some of the plain stock changed hands at Euro/kg. The heavy bullocks made €150-€285 over €/kg, lighter bullocks ranging €140-€220 over and Friesian-Holsteins making €/Kg to €70 over.
One of the better prices at the sale was paid for a pair of Charolais bullocks weighing 525 kgs and sold for €810.
The contrast between quality and plain cattle was proven by the difference in price between three Charolais weighing 437 kgs - sold for €650 - and a lot of three Friesians weighing 436 kgs which sold for €460. The heifer trade was also quieter, best continentals making up to €130 over and Angus/Hereford selling at €20-€80 over.
Ennis Mart had a big sale of 1,500 head. Heavy bullocks were easier by €20/head, with the plainer cattle suffering a heavier cut. There was 1,250 head on offer at Kilkenny, where all cattle were back €20/head and plain cattle were harder to sell.
