Factories record highest throughput of cattle

Marts: The highest throughput of cattle for the year to date was recorded at the factories for last week when the kill exceeded 44,000 head for the first time in two years.

Official figures for last week show the throughput at 44,307 head an increase of 10% amounting to 4,000 head up on the previous week.

The bullock kill was only slightly increased and it will be interesting see what categories the increased stock came from when the breakdown becomes available later this week.

The highest weekly kill recorded in recent years was 47,676 head for week ending December 8, 2001.

Bookings were reported to be light at the factories for the first two days of this week and the industry will be monitoring to see if the increase was a once-off or the start of a longer run similar to 2001.

In the marts this week the trade is continuing strong for the quality forward stores in particular. Some very fancy prices continue to be paid for the quality heavy punched out cattle. It would be hard to better the €930 paid for two punched out Belgian Blues weighing 630kgs at Blessington, where a number of other lots of double punched sold at €200-€250 over €/kg.

Beef bullocks were up €30/head and the forward stores up €35/head in excellent trading at Blessington where beef heifers made up to €190 over and stores sold up to €200 over.

At Kilmallock the trade was steady at a smaller sale where good single punched Herefords made up to €300 over and store heifers up to €160 over.

Bullocks were dearer by €20/head at Athenry yesterday where the forward single punched made up to €380 over and the punched out bullocks up to €160 over. There was a very strong trade for the heavy heifers some selling for up to €250 over.

There was good bullock trade at Fermoy yesterday forward single punched selling up to €310 over.

Martin Ryan