Strong trade for cull cows at marts
Bullocks were improved by up to €60/head but the lighter and plainer animals traded back by up to €15/head compared to the pre-Christmas sales. Heavy heifers showed gains of up to €20/head with number of cattle on offer on the low side.
The highest reported price for cull cows was paid at Ennis where a 674kg Limousin sold for €950 and a 552kg Limousin made €800.
Manager Martin McNamara said that there was a very strong trade for both feeding and beef type cows with the tops “making beef cattle prices”.
Prices ranged from €200 under €/kg to €280 over, with Friesians selling at the lower end - 666kgs making €470.
There were plenty of customers for the 300 cattle on offer. The heavy store bullocks of 600kgs plus were €20-€30 dearer than the pre-Christmas trade, with lighter animals selling at unchanged prices and a good demand for butchers’ heifers.
At Bandon, prices for bullocks were improved by up to €60/head, with the heavy bullocks selling for up to €300 over €/kg and heifers were also an improved trade. Two Friesian bullocks weighing 635kgs sold for €935, a lot of four Charolais 566kgs made €840. Prices for lighter animal ranged up to €222 over. Three Herefords (448kgs) sold for €670 and three Charolais weighing 345kgs made €550.
At Kilkenny, where there was an entry of 300 head, the cull cows made €170 under to €150 over. Quality lots of heavy bullocks sold for up to €415 over. Store bullocks under 450kgs were back €10-€15/head, while prices for heifers were improved by up to €20/head.
A Charolais bullock weighing 650kgs sold for €1,065, a lot of two Charolais 650kgs made €1,025 and seven Charolais 524kgs made €885. In the heifer ring, two Charolais scaling 526kgs sold for €790.
