Stronger trade for forward cattle

Marts: There was a stronger trade for all forward cattle yesterday with prices improved by up to €30/head, as numbers on offer continued to slip back.

Record prices were paid at Ennis Mart for heavy continental beef bullocks.

A double punched red Limousin weighing 738 kgs sold for €1,250, a whopping €512 over €/kg - but the highest margin over €/kg was €600 when a single punched 540 kgs Belgian Blue x bullock sold for €1,140.

These animals may be bought for showing at fat stock shows/sales coming up, but the overall trend of the trade was not far behind.

A 774 kg punched out Charolais made €1,210 and a 670 kgs Limousin sold for €1,150. In the single punched bullocks €1,100 was paid for two 597 kgs Limousin; two 525 kgs Charolais made €1,000, and a lot of three Charolais weighing 490 kgs made €925. The heifer trade was equally strong with the tops making €480 over €/kg and prices scaling back to €120 over.

At Bandon Mart, punched out bullocks made up to €220 over and those with a premia sold for up to €320 over. The heifer trade was similar to last week with good heifers making up to €200 over.

There was nearly 800 head on offer at Kilkenny, with bullocks up to €15/head dearer.