Munster mart prices cool down a little

Latest prices from Kanturk, Kilmallock, Skibbereen, Ennis, Thurles and Kilkenny

A Hereford cross bullock born April '20 weighing 595 kilos sold for €1,440 in Thurles Mart. Photo O'Gorman Photography.

While it might be hard to concentrate on cattle right now what with the heat, it’s certainly easy to feed them.

Water is all they need at the moment. They’d survive on a beach (if the water wasn’t too salty). Tis boiling in the marts but not so hot in the ring.

A Charolais cross bullock born September '20 weighing 630 kilos sold for €1,680 in Thurles Mart. Photo O'Gorman Photography.

Prices have cooled down a little. Just as I predicted a few weeks back, the searing heat has gone out of the trade.

Handy store cattle are back €70 a head on what they were three weeks ago.

Those of us waiting in the high grass have begun to lift our heads with interest.

Buying cattle at the mart doesn’t sound so crazy after all. The store bullock has suddenly become appealing once again.

We will head first for Kanturk mart and to Michael Scanlon for all the latest news from Tuesday’s sale of cattle.

“We had a fine entry of top-quality cattle at Tuesday’s sale,” Michael said.

“We had 320 cattle and 110 calves on offer which met with a fine trade.

“A fine entry of top Aberdeen Angus year and half heifers weighing on average 380kgs made up to €1000 per head.”

Kanturk
Tuesday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
5	AA	steers	850kg	1600
5	Fr	steers	660kg	1450
2	Lm	steers	325kg	900
5	AA	heifers	420kg	1000
4	Lm	heifers	380kg	820
1	Lm	cow	875kg	2320
1	Fr	cow	815kg	2030

Thurles mart on Monday had a good sale of stock. Again quality stock lead the way with plainer type bullocks giving auctioneers a little more work.

Thurles
Monday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
6	AA	steers	440kg	1080
6	Hr	steers	457kg	1030
2	Lm	heifers	537kg	1190
4	Hr	heifers	336kg	810
6	AA	heifers	423kg	1000
1	Hr	cow	590kg	1380
1	Fr	cow	465kg	1020

Next to Kilmallock mart where over 700 cattle were up for grabs on Monday and 129 buyers took home stock.

Factory fit cattle made up to €2,650 a head or €2.94 per kg.

A Simmental cross bullock born April '20 weighing 585 kilos sold for €1,280 in Thurles Mart. Photo O'Gorman Photography.

Lighter bullocks made up to €1,700 a head €2.74 per kg.

Dry cows sold for up to €1,670 a head or €2.57 per kg.

Heifers hit €1,400 a head or €2.60 per kg. Dairy stock made up to €1,380 (paid for a 3-year-old calved cow).

Kilmallock
Monday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
4	AA	steers	549kg	1420
2	Hr	steers	543kg	1420
1	Ch	steer	530kg	1400
7	Fr	steers	596kg	1310
3	Hr	heifers	348kg	790
2	Lm	heifers	498kg	1180
1	Fr	cow	495kg	880

Next to Skibbereen, where on Friday dry cows sold from €150 to €1780 with the kilo.

Continental bullocks in Skibbereen sold from €400 to €1395 with the kilo.

Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €350 to €768 with the kilo.

Heifers in Skibbereen made from €280 to €1078 with their weight.

Skibbereen
Friday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
2	Hr	steers	592kg	1360
1	Lm	steer	695kg	2090
5	Sim	steers	333kg	980
2	Lm	heifers	562kg	1640
2	AA	heifers	375kg	970
1	BB	cow	880	2660
1	Sim	cow	685kg	1530

Geraldine Walsh of Clare Co-op marts gave us the following report after the sale of cattle on Thursday.

“We had a bigger sale, especially in the bullock ring. “Trade steady on the week especially for quality cattle, but plainer lots getting a shade easier.

More forward bullocks today with quite a number in the 600 kg to 750 kg bracket.

A Hereford cross cow born April '16 & her bull calf born April '22 combined weight 910 kilos sold for €1,550 in Thurles Mart. Photo O'Gorman Photography.

“A large entry of aged bulls averaged €2.26/kg, with €2,580 secured for a Limousin of1,065kg.

Ennis
Thursday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
1	AA	steer	875kg	2420
2	Ch	steers	787kg	2300
3	Lm	steers	707kg	2220
1	Ch	heifer	675kg	1890
2	Hr	heifers	382kg	900
4	AA	heifers	573kg	1440
1	Ch	cow	980kg	2660

George Candler next and a frank report after the sale of cattle at Kilkenny mart on Thursday.

“If Thursday’s sale was anything to go by it appears that beef bullocks and heifers are not as plentiful as previous weeks with many potential agents disappointed.

“We had a smaller sale in Kilkenny with less customers for the plainer type bullock and heifer .

“Top quality beef type bullocks and heifers met a steady trade. A reduction of cull numbers seemed to stabilize the trade with a top call of €2.90 per kilo for a continental, with a Belgian Blue selling to €2010.”

Kilkenny
Thursday
No	Breed	Sex	Weight	€
1	Lm	steer	725kg	2180
2	Hr	steers	695kg	1820
1	Ch	steer	500kg	1340
12	Fr	steers	390kg	720
1	Ch	heifer	715kg	2010
2	Lim	heifers	450	1240
3	AA	heifers	440	1060