Positive cattle trade at Dungarvan mart
Cork might have had a magnificent victory, but the mart in Dungarvan wasn’t the place I felt to break into ‘The banks of my own lovely Lee’. I kept my mouth shut on the matter of the hurling encounter between Cork and Waterford, it would have been insensitive of me to do otherwise.
So in spite of Waterford’s crushing defeat at the hands of Cork in Semple Stadium on Sunday, I found a mostly positive mart trade in Dungarvan on Monday.
Quality lots, particularly Continental types, were in good demand.
However like other marts, the plainer Friesian bullock would be a harder seller.
That being said, I did spot a lot of six Friesian bullocks of the fleshy variety going well in Dungarvan. They weighed 584kg with Jer O’Sullivan’s gavel going down at €1,010.
Speaking to the Waterford farmer who purchased the bunch after the sale, he informed me that he was happy with the sum he had paid out. He planned to put another layer of flesh on the Friesians, and was optimistic that he would turn a penny in the end.
And in spite of the match, Dungarvan mart manager Ger Flynn was also positive with regards to Monday’s trade in Dungarvan.
“We had a good trade today for all types of store stock. There was a steady calf trade with good prices being paid for strong, reared bull and heifer calves.”
DUNGARVAN
MONDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
3 AA steers 611kg 1125
3 Lm steers 443kg 910
2 AA heifers 397kg 855
3 Hr heifers 400kg 785
2 Ch heifers 311kg 670
1 Fr cow 680kg 780
1 Fr cow 715kg 920
Bandon on Monday had 650 calves on offer with a good calf trade reported.
Bandon on Monday had 140 dry cows on offer. Cows ranged in price from €125 under to €580 over the kilo. Heifers made from €200 to €535 with the kilo. Freisian bullocks in Bandon on Monday ranged from €150 to €350 over the kilo. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks sold from €320 to €625 over the kilo, while Continental bullocks made from €360 over to €610 with the kilo.
BANDON
MONDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
1 Ch steer 490kg 1110
2 AA steers 355kg 820
5 Fr steers 399kg 640
4 Hr heifers 326kg 690
1 Sim heifer 510kg 1000
1 Fr cow 795kg 1110
1 Ch cow 870g 1450
Kilmallock mart on Monday had 1,214 stock, including over 400 calves.
And never shy at giving proceedings a positive lift, the trade for both young and strong calves in Kilmallock on Monday was reported as being “unreal” by Denis Kirby. I was told the mart had calf buyers descending on it from as far away as Antrim, Fermanagh, Sligo and Westmeath.
The trade for adult cattle, while not reported as unreal, was still said to be excellent with quality lots here once again, as elsewhere, in good demand. Bullocks made up to €2.55/kg in Kilmallock. Heifers sold to a high of €2.79/kg, while dry cows went to €1.56/kg.
Turning to breeding stock and breeding bulls, an Aberdeen Angus bull sold for €2,000 in Kilmallock, while a Hereford bull made €1,500.
In suckling, a five-year-old Charolais cow and her Charolais bull calf made €1,240, a three-year-old Shorthorn and her Limousin bull calf fetched €1,140, while a nine-year-old Simmental and her Charolais bull calf made €1,100. In dairying, a three-year-old Friesian calved cow made €1,260.
KILMALLOCK
MONDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
4 Lim steers 383kg 895
4 AA steers 309kg 660
3 Hr steers 503kg 950
2 Sim steers 455kg 920
3 Fr steers 493kg 770
1 Ch heifer 470kg 965
2 BB heifers 523kg 1145
Kilkenny of course also had a good run on the playing field over the weekend, but as I said at the start this isn’t the place for talk on sporting matters.
And besides, with the introduction of Sky Sports into the mix, I don’t think I’m glamorous enough to be dealing with GAA matters anyway.
So I’ll just stick to matters relating to field of grass and let the field of dreams to people with an altogether more pleasing appearance.
And in Kilkenny, mart manager George Candler reported that Monday’s dairy sale saw a limited number of dairy stock on offer.
Maiden heifers in Kilkenny on Monday sold from €550 to €680 a head. While freshly calved Friesian heifers and cows made from €900 to €1,540 a head.
And turning back the clock to Thursday’s general cattle sale, George added: “Beef bullocks and heifers were in short supply on Thursday. Trade could best be described as stable due to the constant reduction in beef quotes. Beef quotes need to stabilise or improve to lift the mood.”
George explained that he felt many farmers were really not too enthusiastic in purchasing stores at present. And could you blame them?
KILKENNY
THURSDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
1 Ch steer 485kg 1075
4 Hr steers 405kg 835
5 Lm steers 395kg 1040
5 Fr steers 390kg 650
1 BB steer 350kg 800
4 Sim heifers 390kg 890
2 Ch heifers 365kg 800
In Skibbereen mart on Friday, dry cows sold from €45 to €440 over the kilo.
Heifers here made from €220 to €760 over the kilo. Freisian bullocks ranged in price from €130 to €300 with their weight.
While Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €250 to €640 with their weight. Continental bullocks sold from €375 over to €715 with the kilo.
And Suckler stock in Skibbereen this week sold from €900 to €1,170 a head.
SKIBBEREEN
FRIDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
2 Lm steers 385kg 920
3 Fr steers 281kg 410
5 AA steers 448kg 930
1 BB heifer 635kg 1390
3 Lm heifers 485kg 1160
2 Ch heifers 340kg 710
2 Hr cow 740kg 1130
Macroom mart on Saturday saw a very similar trade to the previous week, with prices maintained.
MACROOM
SATURDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
3 Fr steers 331kg 495
2 Hr steers 300kg 695
1 AA steer 580kg 1140
2 Lm steers 502kg 1155
1 Lm heifer 595kg 1220
3 Ch heifers 263kg 715
1 AA cow 755kg 1310
Martin Ryan, manager of Thurles Mart, feels that the low quotes being decreed to us from above have still to filter through properly at the marts.
“While the steer trade this week is a little tougher, it’s still not reflecting the processor pricing level,” he said.
THURLES
MONDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
4 Hr steers 331kg 730
4 Fr steers 270kg 440
4 AA steers 401kg 855
2 Ch steers 470kg 990
2 Lm steers 340kg 780
2 Ch heifer 206kg 495
1 Lm cow 705kg 1130
Looking at the trade in general in Thurles on Monday, Martin said numbers overall were down, but that heifers and indeed the cull cow trade continue to be strong.
In Corrin on Tuesday there was an improved trade reported for bullocks.
Store bullocks in Corrin sold from €127 to €481 over the kilo, with beef bullocks up to €528 over the kilo.
There was a good trade for heifers.
Store heifers ranged from €213 to €394 over the kilo with butcher types making up to €470 over the kilo.
Dry cows in Corrin sold from €490 up to €1,345 a head.
CO RRIN
TUESDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
1 AA steer 622kg 1150
5 Fr steers 682kg 1145
2 Ch steers 379kg 860
2 Hr steers 493kg 1015
1 AA heifer 538kg 940
1 Lm heifer 386kg 780
1 AA cow 870kg 1345
And so to Kanturk Tuesday. Michael Scanlon said: “We had a much bigger sale of cattle. There was a lively trade with plenty of customers; 300 calves met an outstanding trade, with quality calves making up to €500.
KANTURK
TUESDAY
No. Breed Sex Weight €
2 Hr steers 385kg 790
6 Fr steers 445kg 730
5 AA steers 180kg 440
1 Lm steer 520kg 960
1 BB heifer 610kg 1080
2 AA heifers 500kg 970
1 Fr cow 750kg 1020
