No bargains for those looking for calves to keep them busy around the yard
Don’t ask me what caused the stiffness in the spine, I have no idea.
But if I was to hazard a guess, I’d say it might be a result of being idle over the Christmas.
Like any machine, the back needs to be kept in constant use.
What I really need right now are a few young, cheap calves, to get back on track.
A bit of running around the yard with buckets, bags and bales would soon soften out the old spine, I have no doubt.
So off to Corrin Mart I went on Tuesday morning, with high hopes of securing a few nice, cheap calves.
Alas, I was hoping for too much.
Unfortunately for my old back, there were no cheap calves to be found at the mart.
As you might expect, at the mart’s opening sale of the year, Corrin had only a scattering of calves on offer on Tuesday.
Maybe that’s why the prices remain high.
Dairy farmers in the business of selling Friesian bull calves right now should expect to get €100 and upward for their Friesians.
If your Friesian bull has any life about him at all, and can walk into the ring without assistance, he should be stretching past the €100.
For those on the lookout for a more glamorous purchase, I saw one-month-old Aberdeen Angus bulls and heifers hitting the €300 mark in Corrin, with relative ease.
So as the year begins, it’s good times for the sellers in the calf ring.
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 Shx steer 500kg 905
1 AA steer 524kg 945
1 Lm steers 380kg 920
2 Fr steers 546kg 920
1 BB heifer 576kg 1245
1 Lm heifer 480kg 1070
1 Fr cow 650kg 1020
Next, we turn to Bandon where, on Monday, dry cows sold from €100 under the kilo to €560 with the kilo.
Heifers in Bandon sold from €300 to €440 with their weight.
Bullocks made from €230 to €600 over the kilo.
There was also a lively trade in Corrin for dry cows on Tuesday.
From what I could see, the mart had about 40 dry cows on offer, and they were selling from €600 to €1,020 a head.
Forward store bullocks in Corrin made from €300 to €440 over the kilo on Tuesday, with beef bullocks making up to €540 over the kilo.
Corrin saw a steady trade for heifers, with store heifers ranging in price from €220 to €350 over the kilo, and butcher types making from €260 up to €670 over the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 Au steers 410kg 800
4 Fr steers 452kg 690
4 Fr steers 600kg 980
2 Hr heifers 502kg 895
2 Hr heifers 447kg 835
1 Ch cow 915kg 1475
1 Fr cow 765kg 1130
The report from Kilmallock mart on Monday was of a strong opening trade for 2015.
Denis Kirby reported that the mart had over 200 cattle and calves on offer, which is on a par with last year’s opening sale.
In dairy stock at Kilmallock, a 3-year-old Friesian cow, time up on January 11 to Aberdeen Angus, sold for €1,100.
In sucklers, a 2-year-old Hereford, time up in March to Aberdeen Angus, made €880.
Next Monday, January 12, at Kilmallock, there will be a special entry of 14 suckler cows with strong Charolais calves at foot.
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 Ch steer 385kg 880
1 Hr steer 395kg 830
1 Fr steer 660kg 1090
1 Ch steer 725kg 1370
2 Hr heifers 170kg 450
1 Sim heifer 465kg 930
1 BB heifer 600kg 1265
So it would seem that the new year in the marts begins just like the old one finished, with no drama, and no collapse in prices to report.
Indeed, the only collapse that I’m aware of in rural Ireland took place last week when that big wind turbine up north came down with a bang.
For those of us in the country who are unfortunate enough to be living alongside such things, news of the collapse was not exactly greeted with oceans of tears.
Instead, a ray of hope dawned in our blighted lives.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the turbine rattled like a noisy old twin tub washing machine, before finally coming away from its moorings.
Let’s not be getting into a tizzy and causing too much fuss every time the whirr from these monsters increases in volume.
Instead, relax, stand back, and let nature take its course.
For our final mart report this week, we turn to Kanturk mart, where Michael Scanlon reported a big sale of cattle at their first mart of 2015.
“We had a lively trade for all stock on offer,” Michael said.
Sadly, it looks like I won’t be finding that elusive cheap calf in Kanturk mart either, with Michael adding, “A small entry of calves were in great demand, with Aberdeen Angus and Herefords making up to €380, and Friesian bulls selling for up to €150.”
No Breed Sex Weight €
6 AA steers 180kg 450
4 Fr steers 515kg 880
1 BB steer 445kg 1000
5 Hr steers 210kg 590
3 AA heifers 505kg 945
4 Lm heifers 485kg 1045
1 Ch cow 670kg 1010
