Cattle trade enjoys a very respectable seasonal upturn
While numbers are seasonally reduced the phrase that would best describe the turn outs this week is “very respectable”. Prices too remain “very respectable” driven to some degree by what a couple of mart managers called “the need for some men to turn cash into cattle”.
Starting in Thurles on Monday where Martin Ryan reported that “it was a nice trade, and up on all fronts”.
Numbers were “above expectations with 150 more than this week last year,” Martin said. Quality, however, he felt was “somewhat less”, as both dealers and farmer sellers continued there pre-Christmas clear-outs.
“We had a lot of stock were there to be sold but we had a good scatter of men anxious to buy, so it was nicely balanced,” he said. In relation to price, Martin commented: “Cows were again improved, bullocks were stronger, especially the better quality, and heifers were definitely improved in spots.”
Reviewing the year, Martin felt that the trade has finished more positively than could have been expected “given the fact that in July, August and early September the weather dictated that the supply of cattle was more than the market could handle”.
The recovery that began in October was helped by the fact “we got grass growth that hadn’t happened since the spring right into early November,” Martin said.
“That gave the farmers hope and confidence,” he concluded. Sales resume in Thurles on Jan 14.
Moving south to Carrick on Suir and their sale on Friday, auctioneer Michael Cunningham summed up the trade very simply as “scarce and dear”.
Michael added: “It was a small sale but a right trade with anything nice making plenty.” As would be the case in Thurles on Monday there were lots of buyers. “We had a lot of Friesians, but I had five or six men for every lot, especially the better cattle with farmers very active,” he said. Heifers were “a nice trade with anything suitable for breeding making big money”.
Then down in Kanturk on Tuesday, numbers were back with Michael Scanlon stating that “that was to be expected but we still had nice number for the day of the year”.
In relation to the quality on show, Michael said: “You’d have to say it was a bit less with, I suppose, a lot of bits and pieces.” Cow numbers on the day accounted for almost half the cattle present “a lot of plainer ones and a lot of handy cows,” he said.
That very fickle item, confidence, however, seems to continue to grow with Michael reckoning that it’s now at, “a reasonable level especially for weanlings”. The only fly in the ointment, however, is the fodder situation.
“Feed is still a big issue with us and more so the further west you go,” he said.
Indeed it is because as I began writing this report my lorry man arrived to settle up his account and he told me that never has he seen so much hay and straw moving on the roads before Christmas, and that’s here in the south east.
The story in Corrin on Tuesday was very similar to Kanturk. “It was a smallish sale with not to many bullocks or heifers, although we had a hundred cows,” said Sean Leahy. The cows, however, were again like Kanturk, “of variable quality”, Sean said. While Sean acknowledged the difficulties that the summer of 2012 posed for all associated with farming, he felt as do many that the cattle trade is ending the year with a good degree of confidence.
“Prices eased, obviously in July and August, but there seems to be renewed optimism in the prospects for 2013,” he said. Corrin is back with a sheep sale on Jan 7 and a cattle sale on Jan 8.
Meanwhile, moving back into Tipperary and news of the sale in Nenagh where mart manager Michael Harty presided over a sale of considerable size on Tuesday.
“We had 300 cattle, a nice turn out seeing as Christmas is only a week away,” Michael said. Although dry cow numbers were considerable “We had a sprinkle of everything with a good few farmers knocking around and prices were steady,” he said.
In relation to quality “Friesians, especially the plainer one, is still tougher sold while the good bullock continues a good seller,” Michael said.
On this point of quality and a more marked demand for breeds with better conformation and potential, I do believe that some men who bought the black and white bullock at big money in the spring came to realise that in a year of prolonged bad weather not only did their animals not thrive as well as expected, but feeding expensive meals didn’t easilyreturn the weight gain necessary to compensate for the expense incurred.
Michael returns with a dairy sale in Nenagh on Jan 9, followed by a show and sale in Roscrea on Jan 11.
Moving to Kerry and Castleisland on Monday where Richard Harnett noted that the cattle trade has remained fairly steady for the entire month of December. “The trade is more or less the same today as it was at the start of the month,” he said. A fact he attributed to the negligible movement in factory prices. Richard probably expressed the opinion of many farmers when he said that in his opinion “it was a very disappointing year”.
More so, I suspect, because the reality is that on many farms in that part of the world making a viable living from the land is often difficult even in a normal year. The fodder crisis has been far more acute in parts of Kerry and west Cork than in other places. A fact, that while widely reported has as yet failed to move the minister to realise, in my opinion, that a plan of direct state fodder assistance may yet be needed.
Monday is also mart day in Bandon where there was a “fair turn out for the day of the year”, according to Tom McCarthy. Farmers he felt were in good spirits.
“Upbeat I’d have said,” he noted, commenting on the mood. Although there was a plentiful supply of customers, “farmers were selective in what they wanted,” Tom thought. “We had probably 70% Friesians in the yard with the balance mainly Hereford and Angus, but it was these they wanted,” he said.
“A lot of men were looking for that better 450 kilo animal with Herefords and Angus a preference if they couldn’t get continentals,” Tom said. Cow numbers reached 100 “with 98 sold”, Tom noted.
As the year draws to a close, Tom expressed his admiration for the farming community, commenting on their resilience and their confidence in the aftermath of summer 2012.
“Mach, April and May were a type of golden harvest, but the weather killed the trade during July and August, but October through to December has seen a good lift in the trade. It wasn’t easy and you got to admire farmers for their attitude and toughness,” he said.
The Sixmilebridge mart on Saturday saw “a good size sale for the end of the year”, said mart manager Sean Ryan. “There was plenty of demand for weanlings from farmers with stores strong as well,” Sean said. Sean cited one Belgian Blue bull who weighted 400 kilos and made €1,200 as an example of what the top weanlings on the day were capable of. “€800 with the weight for one of the best,” said a very contented mart manager.
Accepting that the top R and U grade cattle will always come out ahead, I asked on average over the year how much further back would he put O grades?
“Allowing for demand anywhere from 150 to 200 a head, maybe more, depending on the day,” he said. Although the quality has tapered off as the year end approaches Sean has been consistent all year in his belief that farmers have taken seriously the advice on improving the breeding genetics of their stock.
“The number of better quality cattle coming through all year has improved enormously this year,” he suggests.
Finally, it’s to Kilmallock I go for Monday’s sale, where, while numbers were less than half the previous week, 573 is still an awful lot of cattle any day of the year. Scanning down the sheets it’s fair to say that there were no pre Christmas bargains to be had either! The heifer trade was very buoyant with choice lots making up to €2.50 a kilo. Demand for heavier stock was also maintained with one Limousin of 680 kilos making €1,490. The demand for quality stores saw the better ones push €2 a kilo with upwards of €2.10 for those that pushed the quality envelope. Kilmallock will reopen for business on Jan 7.
So with the year now nearly ended it’s a safe bet that no one will overly mourn its passing. With every new dawn there comes new hope and with every New Year we can all dare to dream of sunnier days. I wish to thank all those who through the year supplied me with the information to make this report possible. I wish them and you dear reader a happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.
