Steady prices mean good news continues at the marts, at least for those selling
For buyers, the good news is of course really bad news.
And so we turn first to Kilkenny mart where after Mondays calf and dairy sale George gave us this report.
“Freshly calved Friesian cows and heifers sold from €1,200 to €1,940 per head on Monday. And in the calf ring, our top call was €520 paid for a Belgian Blue bull calf.”
And turning back the clock to Thursday and the general cattle sale in Kilkenny, George had this to add,
“We had a big sale of cattle with trade remaining excellent for quality lots. Light store bullocks peaked at €3.30 per kilo with trade for light store heifers somewhat easier.”
In Kilkenny, Friesian cull cows sold from €1.30 to €1.85 per kilo, with continental cull cows selling from €1.40 to €2.35 per kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 Hr steer 740kg 1420
1 Lm steer 700kg 1785
3 Ch steers 595kg 1480
2 AA steers 490kg 1205
6 Fr steers 475kg 980
2 Lm heifers 635kg 1690
1 BB heifer 550kg 1670
Next we turn to Dungarvan mart where, after the cattle sale on Monday, Ger Flynn gave me this report. “We had a very good trade all round, with cattle and calf numbers increasing weekly.”
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 Ch steers 565kg 1350
5 AA steers 567kg 1215
1 AA heifer 550kg 1175
2 Ch heifers 465kg 1080
4 Lm heifers 271kg 825
2 Hr heifers 280kg 705
1 Fr cow 700kg 1115
Bandon cattle mart on Monday had 1,380 calves on offer, with mart manager Tom McCarthy reporting, “calf prices are holding well.” And the sale for calves is now starting at the earlier time of 10.30am.
Dry cows on Monday sold from €1/kg to €800 over the kilo. Heifers sold from €350 to €720 with their weight.
Continental bullocks made from €420 to €750. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks in Bandon on Monday ranged in price from €400 to €650 with the kilo. While Friesians sold from €300 to €600 with the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 BB steer 535kg 1240
1 Ch steer 470kg 1070
3 Hr steers 515kg 1170
5 Fr steers 549kg 1010
1 Ch heifer 590kg 1310
2 BB heifers 505kg 1160
1 AA cow 875kg 1650
Talking to Macroom Mart manager John O’Mahony after Saturdays cattle sale, John, like many more mart managers, reported a very large yard of cattle for the time of the year.
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 AA steer 715kg 1600
1 Hr steer 625kg 1300
1 Hr steer 515kg 1170
2 Lm heifers 300kg 900
1 Au heifer 495kg 1150
2 Lm heifers 365kg 1020
1 Hr cow 740kg 1345
Macroom mart had almost 1,200 cattle and calves on offer on Saturday.
“We had an increase again on numbers this week with an excellent trade once more for all types of stock across the board,” John said.
“It’s been a very busy February here in Macroom, with cattle numbers unusually high. The trade is going very well, buoyed up I suspect by Minister Coveney’s recent positive announcements regarding beef exports to China and elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, we saw another outstanding sale of cattle in Kilmallock on Monday.
Denis Kirby told me that the mart had 1,887 stock, including 880 calves, on offer. “Cattle and calves of all breeds are a flying trade,” Denis reported.
“There is huge confidence in the cattle business at the moment, with €3.00 per kilo now being paid for the top quality stock. Friesians are now hitting, and in cases surpassing, €2 per kilo.
“In all, 328 buyers did business with us here on Monday with 147 buyers in the calf ring alone.”
And looking at the suckling trade, in Kilmallock a 13-year-old Charolais and her Belgian Blue bull calf sold for €1,680.
An eight-year-old Charolais and her Belgian Blue heifer calf made €1,580, while a five-year-old Limousin in-calf to Limousin and due in March made €1,390.
No Breed Sex Weight €
4 Hr steers 310kg 865
3 AA steers 378kg 850
3 Sim steers 397kg 840
2 Sh steers 398kg 840
2 Fr steers 360kg 685
1 BB heifer 490kg 1060
1 Hr heifer 460kg 975
Next we turn to Fridays sale of cattle in Skibbereen, Mart manager Tom McCarthy had this to say on the trade.
“Numbers are starting to move now this week and the trade is keeping up well.”
Dry cows here sold from €65 to €600 over the kilo. Heifers here sold from €400 to €700 with their weight.
Continental bullocks made up to €800 with their weight. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks ranged in price from €400 to €800 with the kilo. Friesian bullocks made from €300 to €600 over the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
3 Ch steers 633kg 1490
1 BB steer 590kg 1320
1 Lm steer 380kg 950
1 Ch heifer 525kg 1230
1 Lm heifer 500kg 1210
1 Fr cow 705kg 1160
1 Hr cow 605kg 890
And it’s not surprising really that the cattle trade remains so buoyed up at present. There is still plenty of winter feed in the country, or at least that’s what it looks like in this neck of the woods.
And we also seem to be blessed with a Minister for Agriculture who has got the Midas touch when it comes to opening doors and finding new markets for our beef.
At this stage I suspect he’d be able to sell beef at a vegetarian convention. And more luck to him, long may his good work continue.
And so on that upbeat note we turn to Kanturk cattle mart for our final report of the week, and where late on Tuesday evening Michael Scanlon had this to say on the days events.
“We had one of our largest ever February sales with over 1,100 animals present. A large entry of over 550 calves met a lively trade, with buyers from 32 counties in attendance.
“Trade in both rings was lively with buyers hungry for stock and record prices paid.”
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 Ch steer 675kg 1340
2 Fr steers 642kg 1190
1 Hr steer 465kg 1020
1 AA heifer 630kg 1380
2 Lm heifers 327kg 800
1 Fr cow 795kg 1250
1 Shx cow 640kg 1190
