Marts Report: Cattle buyers welcome return to the marts
At Skibbereen mart last Friday, this Simmental cow weighed 645kg and sold for €1,390.
Tuesday was a squally old day with a constant threat of a cold shower. Not a day for the Bermudas, and certainly not a day conducive to good grass growth.
Grass, the biggest driver of cattle sales at this time of the year is underperforming like crazy.
As a result, the trade for store cattle is starting to slip and slide. While for beef cattle, the reasonably good factory trade is keeping the dream alive at the mart. The trade for beef cattle remains strong. In spite of grass growth giving us little reason to be cheerful, we march on.
On a more positive note, at least the green light has been given to buyers to return to the marts.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue confirmed the good news last week, that from the 17th of May buyers will be allowed back into the ring. In accordance with Covid guidelines of course.Â
Yes, the online mart sale is effective and got us through a very troubling patch. But, come on, we have had enough of this staring into the small screen and looking at midget cattle. We have had our fill of floating bids and misfiring connections. We have been away from the real live action for far too long, the loss is driving fellows out of their minds.
Yes, we all welcome a return to the ring. Damn right we do.
And so to the marts we go, beginning with Skibbereen mart on Friday where the mart has seen a noticeable increase in quality cattle matched with quality prices.
On Friday last, dry cows sold from €70 to €855 with the kilo. Heifers made from €230 to €705 with their weight. Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €270 to €935 over the weight. Continental types sold from €335 to €1095 over the kilo. Friesian bullocks made from €200 to €816 with the kilo.
|
Skibbereen |
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|
Friday |
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|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
2 |
Hr |
steers |
717kg |
1650 |
|
1 |
AA |
steer |
665kg |
1600 |
|
1 |
Lm |
steer |
650kg |
1700 |
|
1 |
Lm |
heifer |
585kg |
1290 |
|
1 |
Hr |
cow |
815kg |
1670 |
|
1 |
Lm |
cow |
775kg |
1640 |
|
1 |
Fr |
cow |
750kg |
1260 |
Kanturk mart next and mart manager, Seamus O'Keeffe. "We had blustery conditions on Tuesday at Kanturk Mart, but a good sale all round with 820 cattle including 380 calves on offer. Prices were a bit easier today due to poor grass growth."
|
Kanturk |
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|
Tuesday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
2 |
AA |
steers |
472kg |
1030 |
|
6 |
Hr |
steers |
500kg |
770 |
|
6 |
Lm |
steers |
410kg |
900 |
|
4 |
AA |
heifers |
625kg |
1300 |
|
1 |
Hr |
cow |
700kg |
1200 |
|
1 |
BB |
cow |
590kg |
1090 |
|
1 |
Fr |
cow |
690kg |
1120 |
Dairy heifers at Kilmallock hit €1060 a head Kilmallock mart reported another strong week of trading with 1500 cattle and calves sold over the period. Bullocks sold for up to €1340 a head or €2.60 per kg.
Dry cows hit €1550 a head or €2.21 per kg. Heifers made up to €1360 a head or €2.44 per kg.
Calves sold for up to €440 (paid for a 3 week old Belgian Blue heifer). Sucklers reached prices of €1410. Calved dairy stock made up to €1740 with breeding heifers hitting €1060 a head.
On this coming Saturday, the marts final bull society sale of the season takes place. The Irish Angus Munster Branch will have 25 bulls on Offer.
|
Kilmallock |
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|
Monday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
8 |
AA |
steers |
371kg |
940 |
|
1 |
Hr |
steer |
380kg |
840 |
|
2 |
Lim |
steers |
545kg |
1340 |
|
4 |
Sim |
steers |
510kg |
1180 |
|
3 |
Fr |
steers |
528kg |
1130 |
|
3 |
Ch |
steers |
487kg |
1100 |
|
2 |
Sh |
steers |
460kg |
1010 |
After Monday's sale of cattle in Dungarvan, mart manager Ger Flynn reported "An excellent beef cattle trade, forward store prices similar to last week."
|
Dungarvan |
||||
|
Monday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
6 |
AA |
steers |
595kg |
1430 |
|
4 |
Lm |
steers |
431kg |
970 |
|
3 |
Ch |
steers |
496kg |
1220 |
|
2 |
Lm |
steers |
475kg |
1188 |
|
1 |
AA |
heifer |
500kg |
1130 |
|
4 |
Ch |
heifers |
475kg |
1100 |
|
1 |
Hr |
Cow |
725kg |
1320 |
Looking at Ennis mart on Thursday was Geraldine Walsh of Clare Co-Op marts and she gave us this report.
"We had a good sized sale on Thursday with 450 cull cows, aged bulls and heifers on offer.
"There were 20 aged bulls on offer, and some super bulls in these. The trade held very strong all round but no increase on prices on the week.
"Again some super cull cows went through the ring with some cows making €1,000 to €1,200 over their weight."
And looking at Friday's bullock sale, Geraldine added.
"We had a slightly bigger sale on Friday. Quality a bit more variable with quite a few heavy cattle on offer.
"The trade no more than steady on the week with quality holding very well and some of these lots a shade dearer.
"Strong demand for beef type bullocks."
|
Ennis |
||||
|
Thursday/Friday |
||||
|
No |
Breed |
Sex |
Weight |
€ |
|
1 |
Lm |
steer |
490kg |
1350 |
|
1 |
Ch |
steer |
850kg |
2100 |
|
5 |
Hr |
steers |
483kg |
1230 |
|
1 |
Lm |
heifer |
395kg |
1090 |
|
1 |
Ch |
heifer |
380kg |
1070 |
|
1 |
Ch |
cow |
845kg |
2030 |
|
1 |
Fr |
cow |
860kg |
1440 |
