Weather hits demand for store cattle

Marts: The harsh weather and poor grass growth has slowed down demand for store cattle this week, and prices in the marts have eased back from the over heated trade particularly for the plainer type store animals.

Punched out bullocks, forward store bullocks and weanlings are all showing a slight easing in prices this week, while the heifer trade is continuing to hold its own, showing very little change from the strong prices running in recent weeks.

Sales are also reporting bigger entries of cattle this week as the sales reach their spring peak in numbers on offer. There was 1.300 head on offer at Fermoy Mart yesterday, where the trade in general continued strong but the range of prices being paid widened with prices for the forward single punched bullocks spanning €170 over to €420 over depending on the quality.