Mart Report: ICT grants of up to €5,000 for each mart

Latest mart prices from Bandon, Kilmallock, Macroom and Dungarvan

At Dowra Mart in Co Cavan last Saturday, this Limousin bull of 875kg sold for €1,530.

We now have a vaccine, and lockdown, while a curse, was a necessary tool.

However, the lockdown has clearly put a strain on many, and is very keenly felt in rural Ireland.

A 5km travel restriction for someone living in a sprawling city or town, is a totally different proposition to a 5km travel ban for someone living in a remote part of the country.

Within a 5km spread, I presume most urban dwellers have access to a post office, a bank, a doctor, a dentist, an off-licence, countless grocery shops, and of course a plethora of takeaways.

What have we out here within 5km? Fencer wire, pallets and plenty of furze bushes.

It could be argued that necessary travel is permissible for all, but what exactly is necessary travel?

At Cashel Mart last Saturday, this dry cow of 735kg sold for €1,100.

Many who live in the country can be slow enough to head to a town to begin with, but put the worry of meeting a guard and having to explain yourself to him or her about your travels, and you will find many won’t go at all. Many might feel it’s best to just stay at home.

An exception, or even a little more leeway, should have been made for rural Ireland, But it wasn’t, and the consequences of this will not be easily remedied.

At least, some help is now being offered to marts, which have also struggled with the ‘new normal’ of lockdown.

Earlier this week, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue announced funding to livestock marts for ICT infrastructure.

ICT stands for Information and Communication Technologies (no wonder they abbreviated it). Livestock marts can apply to the Department for a grant of up to €5,000 to cover 50% of expenditure on the kind of hi-tech equipment which has made livestock sales possible over the past year.

The Minister said, “Each year, nearly three million cattle and sheep are sold through livestock marts. Maintaining viable sales outlets for livestock is vital to ensuring that the agri sector and the food supply chain are fully functioning. I must pay tribute to marts and farmers for their swift adjustment last year to online sales that Covid-19 public health measures has made necessary.”

At Dowra Mart in Co Cavan last Saturday, this Charolais heifer of 710kg sold for €1,590.

The closing date for receipt of applications is November 15, 2021.

Marts may only apply once for a grant.

And so to the weekly business of the marts, beginning with Bandon on Monday, which had 1,700 calves on offer. Mart manager Tom McCarthy said the calf trade remained firm.

Friesian bulls on Monday made up to €195 a head.

Dry cows here sold from €60 to €440 with the kilo. Friesian bullocks made from €200 to €500 with the kilo. Hereford and Angus sold from €240 to €680 with the kilo. Continental bullocks sold up to €665 with the kilo. Heifers made €220 to an exciting €810 with the weight.

Bandon
Monday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
6	Fr	steers	330kg	540
4	Hr	steers	660kg	1280
4	AA	steers	455kg	950
2	Sim	steers	462kg	990
2	Lm	heifers	570kg	1380
1	AA	cow	715kg	1080
1	Fr	cow	600kg	1040

Numbers were up at Macroom mart on Saturday, with prices remaining strong. Dry cows sold for up to €2/kg.

Macroom
Saturday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
10	Fr	steers	572kg	1040
3	Fr	steers	488kg	870
10	AA	steers	515kg	1060
3	Hr	steers	396kg	850
2	Sim	steers	595kg	1310
1	AA	cow	785kg	1290
1	Ch	cow	750kg	1260

Friesian bullocks made from €180 to €470 with the kilo. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks in Macroom sold from €240 to €265 with their weight. Continental bullocks sold from €320 to €715 with the kilo.

1,200 stock, including 650 calves, were sold at Kilmallock mart on Monday, with an excellent trade reported.

Kilmallock
Monday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
3	AA	steers	382kg	820
5	Fr	steers	393kg	700
5	Sim	steers	549kg	1090
2	Hr	steers	600kgs	1200
3	Lim	heifers	348kg	890
1	Ch	heifer	305kg	700
1	Lim	cow	585kg	950

Bullocks sold for up to €1,200 a head or €2.34 per kg. Weanlings hit €950 a head or €2.60 per kg.

Dry cows sold for up to €1200 a head or €1.83 per kg. Heifers hit €1270 a head or €2.56 per kg.

After a good sale of cattle at Dungarvan mart on Monday, mart manager Ger Flynn gave us this report.

“The trade was strong with the fine weather.

“There was a bigger turn out of cattle with demand being driven by grass buyers.

“There was an excellent calf trade last Thursday, and a large entry again for this Thursday, March 4.

The sale begins at 12 noon on www.livestock-live.com with viewing by appointment from 11am to 12am.”

Dungarvan
Monday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
6	Hr	steers	421kg	930
5	AA	steers	344kg	810
7	Fr	steers	545kg	970
1	Lim	heifer	385kg	800
4	AA	heifers	361kg	740
1	Fr	cow	640kg	940
1	Fr	cow	745kg	1000