Prices ease for plain stores

Marts: Prices for plain store cattle were a shade easier, but the level of demand and the prices for the quality stock remained firm at yesterday's sales.

The majority of the quality bullocks are selling for €300 to €400 over € per/kg which is reckoned to be slightly lower than this time last year particularly for some of the very fancy store cattle which sold for excessive prices last Spring. Plain bullocks are selling back to €120 over in quieter trading.

Throughput at the mart sales for the first two months has been the highest for years with a steady increase in entries over recent weeks as the trade builds up to the seasonal high later this month. There is no shortage of buyers at the ringside and no indications so far of concerns as to the uncertain elements of the trade later in the year, in particular the gamble on whether South American supplies will continue to be restricted from the European markets for the remainder of the year, or get clearance late summer or early autumn.