Cattle prices on road to recovery
Bullock prices were improved by €20/head at Athenry Mart with a similar improvement in heifer prices for quality stock.
Numbers of cattle on offer were down on last week - largely attributed to the attraction of the National Ploughing Championships for many livestock farmers - but demand was exceptionally strong with up to €410 over /kg being paid for the tops of the single punched forward bullocks.
A very strong price of €870 was paid for a punched out 640 kg Charolais bullock with prices in general for double punched ranging from €100 over /kg.
There was a strong trade for the single punched bullocks at €300-400 over /kg for the quality continentals - with a top price of €975 paid for a 565 kg Charolais - while the plainer lots sold back to €200 over.
The heavy heifers were an excellent trade. A 410 kg Charolais heifer sold for a whopping €660 with the more general run of prices ranging €100-200 over showing an overall improvement of €20/head and some choice lots showing larger grains from last weeks prices.
The ploughing showed no effect on the entry for the weanling sale at Ennis Mart where there was 1,375 head on offer, meeting with a very firm trade for the tops in bulls and heifers. The best of the Continental bulls in the weight range 250 - 350 kgs sold from €350 over to €410 over/kg.
Trade was a shade quieter for the lighter animals with animals in the 200-250 kg range selling at €225 over to €300 over. The tops of the heifers sold from €130 over to €185 and back to €100 over for the lighter continentals. Hereford heifers sold from €50 over to €90 over /kg.
