Mart Report: Time to give your mart Manager a break
Pictured at the Munster Branch Irish Angus bull sale in Kilmallock Mart, Co Limerick are John Appelbe, Clonakilty with ‘Carrigroe Sea Salt’ that sold for the top price of €3,100. Photo O’Gorman Photography.
After a year now of warring online for cattle, I've little doubt that almost all would dearly love to return to the old ways, and indeed the old days.
It cannot be easy for mart managers. The 'new normal' as it is called, is anything but normal. The online system has opened mart sales to the whole country. A good news story in so many ways. It has possibly saved many marts from going under.
But of course on the flipside marts have been opened up to a whole country containing the good (most of us are in this category) the bad, and indeed the ugly of our cattle world.
And while few would have a problem dealing with the good (like you and me), alas for a mart manager, it is he or she who has to deal with the bad and the ugly too.
It's hard enough to spot a crook in the flesh when he wanders onto your premises with stick swinging wildly and cheque book wagging excitedly. They can hoodwink even the best of fellows.
So can you imagine how hard it must be to spot an online hoodlum?
There's a dark side to the world wide web just as there is a dark side to the underneath of my foot. And there have always been those, in every walk of life, who really do need nothing more than a good swift kick up the rear end. In the last 12 months, I suspect it has become much more difficult for mart managers to spot such undesirables. They now need eyes on the back of their heads.
A misfiring internet connection and problems some buyers have with stock purchased online (There's nothing like seeing an animal in the flesh either) have also I'm sure left some managers practically in tears wondering why they took up the role of mart manager in the first place.
So for goodness sake today, before you lose the head with your mart manager over an old Jersey bullock you purchased (That you thought looked like a limousin), or a complaint you have about your internet connection, take a step back and give the manager a chance to catch his or her breath. The last 12 months haven't been a walk in the park for the decent mart managers of Ireland either. It's time we gave them a break and even thank them for their dedication to the cause.
And so to the marts we go, another busy week at the marts and in Kilmallock where 2,000 cattle on offer. The mart reported that the "trade remains very strong as buyers nationwide are now buying online at Kilmallock."
Bullocks sold for up to €1,490 a head or €2.94 per kg. Dry cows made up to €1,520 a head or €2.20 per kg. Heifers sold for up to €1,410 a head or €2.42 per kg.
Up to €420 was paid in the calf ring (paid for a 4 week old Hereford bull). Sucklers hit €1520 (paid for a 4-year-old Simmental and her Limousin heifer calf). While dairy stock hit €1,940, with breeding heifers making up to €840 a head.
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Kilmallock |
||||
|
Monday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
4 |
Ch |
steers |
376kg |
920 |
|
1 |
Hr |
steer |
375kg |
830 |
|
6 |
Fr |
steers |
398kg |
710 |
|
6 |
BB |
steers |
481kg |
1050 |
|
3 |
AA |
heifers |
347kg |
790 |
|
1 |
Fr |
cow |
495kg |
790 |
|
1 |
Hr |
cow |
365kg |
760 |
After the Easter Monday sale of cattle at Dungarvan mart, mart manager Ger Fynn gave us this report.
"We had an excellent trade for all types of store bullocks and heifers. There was a stronger demand for heavy dry cows with flesh and a tighter supply of store cattle on offer led to an increase in demand.
|
Dungarvan |
||||
|
Monday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
1 |
Ch |
steer |
765kg |
1650 |
|
8 |
Hr |
steers |
615kg |
1260 |
|
11 |
AA |
steers |
411kg |
960 |
|
2 |
Hr |
heifers |
535kg |
1040 |
|
4 |
Ch |
heifers |
395kg |
910 |
|
4 |
Fr |
cows |
750kg |
1160 |
|
1 |
Fr |
cow |
590kg |
850 |
It was all hands on deck in Macroom on Saturday for another successful sale of cattle. Cattle prices are holding as firm as 'Freewheelin Dylan' did on Monday when he won the Irish Grand National in Fairyhouse.
In Macroom on Saturday dry cows sold from €135 to €730 over the kilo. Friesian bullocks made from €1.60/kg to €1.85/kg. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks in Macroom sold from €2/kg to €2.25/kg. Continental bullocks sold from €2.20/kg to €2.70/kg. Heifers made from €2.10/kg to €2.40/kg, while weanling bulls in Macroom sold from €2.40/kg to €2.85/kg.
|
Macroom |
||||
|
Saturday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
4 |
Fr |
steers |
546kg |
1020 |
|
2 |
AA |
steers |
660kg |
1430 |
|
4 |
AA |
steers |
568kg |
1230 |
|
1 |
Hr |
steer |
460kg |
950 |
|
1 |
Sim |
steer |
475kg |
1190 |
|
1 |
Ch |
cow |
800kg |
1530 |
|
1 |
Fr |
cow |
750kg |
1340 |
