Beef breeds at up to €500 but calves still an affordable form of mart madness
But I suppose if a fellow is to go mad with buying stock at the mart, buying calves is surely the least expensive form of madness.
Besides, a nice bunch of calves will keep me busy, they will keep me away from mischief.
In the calf sale in Bandon on Monday, the mart had 300 calves on offer.
The calf sale began a bit like that second fight between Chris Eubank and Steve Collins back in 1995, with all guns blazing.
It might be a bit early to say, but I’ll say it anyway, 2016 is starting to look like another good year for the calf seller.
In Bandon on Monday, dry cows made from €50 under to €575 with the kilo. Bullocks sold from €397 to €538 with the kilo. Heifers made from €410 to €727 with the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 AA steers 662kg 1220
1 Ch heifer 590kg 1200
1 AA heifer 500kg 1100
3 Lm heifers 493kg 1220
1 AA heifer 420kg 840
1 Lim cow 735kg 1310
1 Ch cow 760kg 1230
In Bandon on Monday, mart manager John O’Mahony was on duty.
I first asked him about the trade back on his home turf of Macroom on the previous Saturday, where he said the trade for cattle was firm and numbers were up, noting a particular increase in calf numbers.
So you now have Macroom mart also as a venue to choose that calf of your dreams, if you are like me, full of beans and would like to spend the next few weeks running around a yard with buckets of milk replacer.
In Macroom on Saturday, dry cows sold from €85 under to €410 over the kilo.
Heifers sold from €220 to €580 over the kilo. Bullocks sold from €210 to €655 over the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 Lm steers 525kg 1180
2 Ch steers 365kg 940
4 AA steers 430kg 865
2 Lim heifers 490kg 1040
1 BB heifer 430kg 1010
1 CH heifer 405kg 980
1 Sim cow 590kg 880
The daddy of all marts, Kilmallock, hit 1,000 cattle on Monday.
Denis Kirby reported “an excellent trade, with over 200 buyers very keen on buying stock.”
Bullocks in Kilmallock made up to €2.26 per kg. Weanlings (30 pens on offer) went to a high of €3.25 per kg. Dry cows (165 on offer) sold for up to €1.75 per kg.
Heifers made up to €3.29 per kg.
Dairy stock made up to €1,610 for in-calf heifers, and €1,550 for in-calf cows. Calved stock hit €1,400 a head.
Sucklers made up to €1,410 per head (that sum was paid for a 4-year-old Limousin, time up, to Limousin).
Calves again were a “flying trade” according to Denis, with beef breeds making up to €500.
From Monday next, February 1, the calf sale in Kilmallock will commence at 10.30am, as will the weanling bull sale.
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Fr steers 397kg 710
3 Lm steers 520kg 1105
5 AA steers 472kg 1030
7 Hr steers 436kg 985
1 Hr heifer 495kg 1010
1 Ch heifer 490kg 1010
1 Fr cow 485kg 850
I was so late heading to Kanturk mart on Tuesday, because I spent the morning running around with buckets of milk for those hungry calves, that my wife, ever the wit, suggested that they might have to use an artist’s impression of the cattle instead of the photos for this week’s mart report.
But I got there on time’ and took some nice photos to boot.
After the sale, I met Kanturk mart manager Seamus O’Keeffe and asked him for his take on the day of trading.
“We had a big sale with a lot of people in attendance. Prices were well maintained with great prices for dry cows, heifers and store bullocks.”
No Breed Sex Weight €
3 Hr steers 495kg 1005
1 Fr steer 550kg 950
5 AA steers 290kg 705
1 BB steer 310kg 680
2 Ch heifers 600kg 1280
1 Fr cow 745kg 1210
1 Ch cow 765kg 1440
A good sized sale of cattle was reported last Friday from Skibbereen mart, where dry cows sold from €250 under to €610 with the kilo.
Bullocks sold from €308 to €595 with the kilo. Heifers ranged in price from €360 to €635 with the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 Lm steer 505kg 1100
1 Ch steer 435kg 955
3 AA steers 448kg 900
1 Ch heifer 565kg 1200
1 AA heifer 590kg 1180
1 Ch cow 720kg 1200
1 Lm cow 760kg 1370
No Breed Sex Weight €
6 Lm steers 533kg 1170
3 AA steers 513kg 1030
5 AA steers 516g 1015
1 Ch heifer 585kg 1130
2 Hr heifers 512kg 1040
1 Fr cow 705kg 1025
1 Fr cow 715kg 985
Next we go to Dungarvan Mart, and to mart manager Ger Flynn.
“We had a good steady trade for all types of stores, both bullocks and heifers.
"The cow trade is holding well. We had a big increase in calf numbers here on Monday with a good calf trade.”
We move on to Thurles mart, where after Monday’s cattle sale, mart manager Martin Ryan brought us up to date.
“We had a lot of light younger stock on offer, with a great trade for that type of stock. Calves and cows also met a super trade.
There were a few heavy well overage bullocks that met a sticky trade, due to age.”
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 Hr steer 237kg 600
2 AA steers 362kg 790
6 Fr steers 231kg 515
3 Lm steers 318kg 900
1 AA steer 290kg 700
2 Ch steers 715kg 1430
1 Lm heifer 280kg 700
Finally this week, we go to Corrin mart.On Tuesday, the mart had 500 cattle on offer with mart manager Sean Leahy reporting a “very strong trade for bullocks, with an excellent demand for all types.” Sean also reported a, “lively trade for heifers.”
In Corrin, store bullocks sold from €200 to €560 over the kilo, with forward bullocks making up to €715 with their weight.
Store heifers made from €280 to €585 over, with butcher types making up to €840 with the kilo.
Corrin had a large entry of dry cows, with Sean Leahy reporting “a strong trade.”
Dry cows sold from €550 to €1,280 a head.
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 Ch steers 535kg 1250
1 AA steer 570kg 1125
2 Lm steers 727kg 1430
1 Lm heifer 630kg 1470
1 Ch heifer 555kg 1255
1 Fr cow 800kg 1280
1 Fr cow 720kg 1040
