Mart Reports: Well bred cattle still shine brightly

Latest Prices from Ennis, Skibbereen, Kilmallock, Kilkenny and Macroom marts

Wed, 01 Dec, 2021 - 09:13

Denis Lehane

There is nothing like a Fat Stock Show and Sale to highlight the fact that Christmas is just around the corner.

And there is nothing like the Fat Stock Show and Sale at Kanturk mart to highlight just how fantastic farmers can be at producing the best of stock.

The day might have been inclement, but the well bred cattle still shone very brightly.

Kanturk mart manager Seamus O’Keeffe was on hand after the sale on Tuesday to give us an account of the day’s activities.

“There was simply a great buzz around the place, our Fat Stock Show and Sale was once again a tremendous success,” Seamus said.

“We had a fantastic entry of top class animals and congratulations is due to the exhibitors for the fine specimens of cattle they had on display for all to view.

The Supreme Champion at the Fat Stock Show and Sale at Kanturk. A Belgian Blue weighing 715kg. This animal sold for €2,800 (€3.92/kg). The owner was Mr Mervyn Busteed, Bandon, Co. Cork.

“Our cattle judges, Mr Tom O’ Callaghan, Burnfort, Mr George Grant, Co. Offaly and Mr John Kelly, Co. Roscommon had a tough job picking winners from the fine cattle on show.

“But they did. Our Supreme Champion went to a Belgian Blue weighing 715kg. This animal sold for €2800 (€3.92/kg). The owner was Mr Mervyn Busteed, Bandon, Co. Cork.

“Our Reserve Champion was awarded to a Limousin weighing 765kg and selling for €2500 (€3.26/kg). The owner here was Ms Molly O’Sullivan, Kiskeam, Co. Cork.

“In conjunction with our Fat Stock Show and Sale we also held a raffle and auctioned a Limousin bullock in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation and in memory of the late Lindsey Cott.

“We were absolutely delighted to hand over a cheque for the sum of €13,820 to Anne O’Riordan of the Irish Heart Foundation.”

“We would like to thank everyone that supported this great cause.”

And on the same day up the road at Ennis mart, weanlings were being traded. Geraldine Walsh of Clare Co-Op mart gave us the following report.

“The month finished pretty strong for us here in Ennis with numbers on Tuesday up on the week. We had just over 600 head on offer.

“The trade is holding strong, with the improved trade of recent weeks being maintained.

“Bull weanlings topped out at €3.48/kg and heifers at €3.36/kg.

“Some nice quality available on Tuesday.

“We had a good demand for suckling stock, especially if they were strong, in-calf lots made up to €2,440. Pairs hit a high of €2,340.

“Runner heifers hit €790 and runner bulls made up to €800.”

Ennis
Tuesday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
1	Ch	bull	290kg	1010
1	BB	bull	410kg	1260
1	Lm	bull	255kg	800
2	AA	bulls	335kg	670
1	Hr	bull	280kg	600
1	Sim	heifer	265kg	890
1	Lm	heifer	305kg	940

In Skibbereen on Friday dry cows sold from €100 under to €1050 with the kilo. Continental bullocks sold from €350 to €845 with the kilo.

Heifers in Skibbereen made from €280 to €660 with their weight. Weanling bulls sold from €240 to €470 with the kilo. Weanling heifers sold from €220 to €515 with the kilo. Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €290 to €510 with the kilo.

Skibbereen
Friday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
2	Lm	steers	705kg	1550
1	BB	steer	505kg	1130
1	Hr	steer	490kg	1060
1	AA	steer	470kg	960
1	BB	heifer	555kg	1170
1	AA	cow	1030kg	2060
1	Fr	cow	605kg	1020

We head to Macroom mart next and to mart manager Jerh O’Sullivan for a report on last Saturday’s cattle sale.

“We had a very big sale for the time of year with a complete clearance achieved.

“Weanling prices were up on the previous week. We had a large entry of dry cows which met with a great trade.

“Bullocks and heifers were similar to last weeks trade.

“We had a great trade for weanlings with up to €3.00 paid for choice lots of bulls, with the general run about €2.40 to €2.50 per kilo.”

In Macroom on Saturday dry cows sold from €65 to €795 over the kilo. Friesian bullocks sold from €1.60/kg up to €1.80/kg. Continental bullocks made up to €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford weanlings sold from €2/kg to €2.20/kg. Heifers sold from €2/kg up to €2.40/kg.

Weanling bulls in Macroom sold from €2.40/kg to €3/kg, weanling heifers made from €2.55/kg to €2.90/kg.

Macroom
Saturday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
3	Lm	steers	660kg	1590
4	Fr	steers	598kg	1080
6	Fr	steers	406kg	700
1	AA	steer	555kg	1090
9	Hr	steers	523kg	1070
1	Lm	heifer	555kg	1330
1	Fr	cow	745kg	1200

We will soon of course be hearing the delightful pitter patter of tiny hooves as dairy calves come bouncing onto the farms.

So before the action begins in earnest, we will have a look at the dairy trade, to see how much the purchase of an extra dairy cow might set you back.

At a recent dairy sale held in Kilkenny on Monday the mart had 70 cows and heifers up for grabs.

George Candler, Kilkenny mart manager, reported “We had a steady trade for dairy stock with Friesian maiden heifers peaking at €850 a head. In calf lots topped €1460.

“Calved Friesian cows made up to €1860 per head.”

In general at the sale calved Friesian Cows ranged from €1150 to €1860. Calved heifers made from €1250 to €1800 a head.

In calf Friesian heifers ranged from €950 to €1460.

Frisian maiden heifers ranged from €500 to €850 per head.

And looking back to last Thursday’s general sale of cattle George added,

“We saw a good firm trade all round resulting in a 100% clearance for cull cows and heifers.

“Bullocks recorded a 92% clearance.

“The 150 cull cows on offer peaked at €2000 for a Blonde which weighed 790kg.

“Forward Friesian bullocks peaked at €2.16 per kilo.”

In Kilkenny mart on Thursday bullocks sold from €1.90/kg to €2.75/kg. Heifers in Kilkenny sold from €1.70/kg to €2.55/kg.

Friesian cull cows in Kilkenny on Thursday sold from €1.00/kg to €1.86/kg. Continental cull cows made from €1.40/kg to €2.53/kg.

Kilkenny
Thursday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
1	Lim	steer	810kg	1910
2	Ch	steers	630kg	1470
5	Fr	steers	620kg	1280
2	Hr	steers	570kg	1240
2	BB	heifers	670kg	1490
3	Ch	heifers	495kg	1130
1	Hr	heifer	450kg	850

1150 stock went under the hammer at Kilmallock Mart this week. The mart reported that “Prices are on the way up, with buyers very anxious to purchase cattle.”

On Monday bullocks sold for up to €1,530 a head or €2.46 per kg. Dry cows (Kilmallock had 200 on offer) made up to €1,600 a head or €1.97 per kg.

Heifers sold for up to €1,130 a head or €2.37 per kg. In the sucklers ring a 9-year-old Hereford and her Limousin bull calf sold for €1,300.

In the calf ring runners made up to €515 (paid for an April born Hereford bull).

On Tuesday weanling bulls sold for up to €860 a head or €2.75 per kg. Weanling heifers made up to €850 a head or €2.78 per kg.

At last Friday’s dairy sale, fresh calvers made up to €1,460 a head. Spring calvers hit €1,340 a head.

On Saturday 200 organic cattle sold at the mart. The trade according to the mart was “on fire”. Bullocks made up to €1,720 a head or €3.42 per kg.

Heifers hit €1,300 a head or €3.20 per kg.

On this coming Monday December 6th, the mart will have 2 special entries of dairy stock including 20 in-calf heifers and 25 cows.

Also, on Tuesday, December 7th, the final evening weanling sale of the season will be held at Kilmallock mart.

Kilmallock

Monday

1 Ch steer 395kg 840

5 Sim steers 395kg 830

2 AA steers 385kg 830

8 Hr steers 368kg 800

5 AA steers 539kg 1190

1 Lim steer 480kg 1180

1 BB steer 485kg 1080

Kilmallock
Monday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
1	Ch	steer	395kg	840
5	Sim	steers	395kg	830
2	AA	steers	385kg	830
8	Hr	steers	368kg	800
5	AA	steers	539kg	1190
1	Lim	steer	480kg	1180
1	BB	steer	485kg	1080