Improved trade for store bullocks

Marts: There was an improved trade for forward store bullocks at the sales yesterday, but the prices for beef animals eased back slightly in anticipation of weaker prices at the factories over the coming weeks.

Numbers of cattle on offer continue to slip back as mart sales move towards the valley of the season for the live trade, with more farmers taking advantage of the fine weather for silagemaking.

There was a smaller sale at Bandon Mart, where there was a good trade for the bullocks on offer. The store bullocks ranged €200-€375 over €/kg for the coloured cattle while prices for Friesians ranged €100-€200 over €/kg.

Three Charolais bullocks weighing 393kgs sold for €755, two Herefords 305kgs sold for €615, three Friesians weighing 615kgs made €890 and two Simmentals scaling 237kgs sold for €455.

Trade for heifers was slightly improved with the best of the continentals making up to €240 over €/kg Hereford and Angus heifers ranged €110-€160 over €/kg.

There was 530 head on offer at Kilkenny, where beef bullocks were back €10/head, while store bullocks over 400kgs were improved by €10/head and a nice selection of store heifers on offer made up to €340 over €/kg.

Beef bullocks made €290-€350 over, stores over 400kgs making up to €360 over. A lot of 12 Simmental 694kgs sold for €1,040, seven Belgian Blues 591kgs sold for €945, two Charolais 428kgs made €785, and seven Limousin weighing 463kgs sold for €810. Beef heifers ranged €270-€320 while store heifers ranged €170-€340 over €/kg.

There was a very good trade for 425 cattle at Blessington Mart where the store heifers were improved by €25/head.

The forward store bullocks - over 400kgs - sold for up to €430 over €/kg.