Solid demand holds for quality animals, despite the distraction of events elsewhere
“How many farmers are really that interested in the mart price of the store heifer or the continental bull weanling with all eyes focused on Laois and the ploughing fields of Ratheniska?” might be asked.
And of course there might be some merit to pulling down the shutters, putting the feet up, and giving the mart reporting business a skip.
But not everyone is interested in ploughing. And the way I see it, to quote my Bible, if I may, “where two or three are gathered … I am there also.”
So even if some regular readers might be otherwise occupied, we will drive on regardless.
The marts didn’t pull down the shutters and, naturally enough, neither will we.
And as I am planning on going to the Ratheniska myself before the event finishes, I sampled a bit of the journey on Tuesday venturing to Corrin mart.
As you would expect, with ploughing on the brain, it was far from a mart heaving with farmers and livestock.
However there were still signs of life, and talking to mart manager Sean Leahy after the sale, he was pleased with how the day went.
“We had an excellent trade for bullocks today with all types in good demand.”
In Corrin on Tuesday store bullocks sold from €140 to €450 over the kilo, with forward stores making up to €590 over the kilo. Beef bullocks in Corrin sold up to €750 with the kilo.
Sean reported a good strong trade for heifers and dry cows. Dry cows in Corrin sold from €500 to €1270.
While in the heifer ring, store heifers made from €150 to €380 with their weight, with butchers heifers making up to €511 over the kilo.
Corrin
Tuesday
No Breed Sex Weight €
3 Hr steers 560kg 1055
1 BB heifer 444kg 955
5 AA heifers 395kg 770
1 Lm heifer 486kg 960
3 AA heifers 470kg 910
1 Fr cow 820kg 1270
1 Fr cow 850kg 1210
The ploughing was also having an effect on the numbers in Kanturk on Tuesday.
But here again the show carried on regardless.
And Michael Scanlon gave us this following report after the day of trading.
“We had a great trade today for all grades of cattle. Obviously there was a smaller entry on account of the ploughing, but there were plenty of customers in attendance.
“The bullock trade was particularly strong, especially for good forward stores with Friesians making up to €350 over the kilo.”
Kanturk
Tuesday
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 Au steers 620kg 1110
2 Lm steers 365kg 820
2 BB steers 375kg 860
3 Hr steers 520kg 1000
6 Fr steers 395kg 630
4 AA heifers 400kg 800
1 Fr cow 550kg 920
In Skibbereen on Friday continental bullocks sold from €350 to €700 over the kilo. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks ranged in price from €300 to €500 with the kilo. While Friesian bullocks sold from €130 to €350 with the kilo.
Dry cows in Skibbereen made from €150 under to €405 over the kilo. Heifers in Skibbereen sold from €220 over to €670 with their weight.
Skibbereen
Friday
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Ch steers 550kg 1210
1 Lm steer 490kg 1180
7 Fr steers 490kg 755
4 AA steers 463kg 915
2 Lm heifers 525kg 1195
1 AA heifer 400kg 815
1 Lm cow 675kg 1080
“We had a very strong cattle trade,” was the report Denis Kirby of Kilmallock gave us regarding Mondays cattle sale.
“Interest has increased at the ringsides for store stock as feeders are keen to purchase to fill sheds for the coming winter. There were 217 buyers here on Monday.”
Kilmallock mart had 1,142 stock on offer on Monday. Bullocks in Kilmallock made up to €2.33/kg.
Dry cows hit €1.50/kg, while heifers peaked at €2.14/kg.
In dairying, a 6 year old in calf Friesian cow sold for €980, while a three-year-old calved with two weeks made €980.
In suckling, a 12-year-old shorthorn and her twin shorthorn bull calves made €1,550 and sticking with mature females, a 13-year-old Charolais and her Belgian Blue heifer calf sold for €1,380.
Kilmallock
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
3 Lm steers 385kg 820
4 AA steers 398kg 800
3 Hr steers 382kg 775
7 Fr steers 392kg 655
3 Hr heifers 308kg 640
8 AA heifers 325kg 620
3 Ch heifers 473kg 900
Next we turn to Dungarvan mart on Monday where mart manager Ger Flynn reported, “we had a good steady trade throughout, for all types of stores.”
Dungarvan
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Lm steers 605kg 1230
6 Lm steers 491kg 1065
1 BB heifer 635kg 1250
2 Sim heifers 627kg 1190
1 Lm heifer 600kg 1125
1 Sim cow 790kg 1265
1 Fr cow 700kg 1000
And looking at the scene in Kilkenny, mart manager George Candler was also positive.
“We had a big sale of cattle on Thursday with a sharper trade for forward stores, especially quality lots.”
“Beef bullocks met a similar trade to last week. Heifer prices were improved for quality lots.
“The presence of North of Ireland buyers helped to instil confidence into the trade.”
Friesian cull cows on offer in Kilkenny sold for prices from €1.10/kg to €1.75/kg.
Continental cull cows sold from €1.30 to €1.95/kg.
Kilkenny
Thursday
No Breed Sex Weight €
4 Ch steers 675kg 1370
1 Lm steer 590kg 1390
2 AA steers 505kg 1090
5 Hr steers 450kg 965
1 Sim steer 260kg 645
5 Ch heifers 490kg 1000
1 BB heifer 260kg 660
Bandon mart on Monday had 150 calves on offer and the trade for calves remains strong. Dry cows here made from €180 under to €400 with the kilo. Heifers sold from €220 to €550 over the kilo.
In Bandon continental bullocks sold from €400 to €700 over the kilo. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks ranged in price from €280 to €500 with the kilo. While the Friesian bullock sold from €100 to €400 with the kilo.
Bandon
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
6 Sim steers 351kg 790
5 BB steers 465kg 1040
5 AA steers 382kg 820
12 Fr steers 532kg 910
2 Hr heifers 492kg 930
4 BB heifers 441kg 890
1 Fr cow 650kg 1060
And next it’s to Macroom mart, where on Saturday a strong trade similar to the previous week was reported.
Macroom
Saturday
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Fr steers 280kg 485
3 Hr steers 376kg 750
2 AA steers 277kg 625
1 BB steer 565kg 1225
2 Lm steers 497kg 1150
1 AA cow 730kg 1070
1 BB cow 500kg 860
And finally on a lighter note, and on the issue of Scottish independence which was decided last Thursday.
A beef farmer attending a mart who was only too well aware of the factory price differential that exists between Britain and Ireland was heard to quip: “Whatever about the Scottish deciding to stick with Britain all I’m wondering is, would they ever take us back?”
