A rising tide lifts all boats and such is the case in the cattle trade this week as news of increasing factory price quotes has further helped the trade for forward and store cattle at marts countrywide.
Positivity in the trade for stronger cattle tends to filter down, adding confidence to the sector and helping to strengthen prices in lighter cattle categories also.
Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Saturday, June 8, with a slightly smaller sale of cattle totalling just over 540 cattle and 150 calves on offer.
Carnew Mart
Carnew Mart’s Eugene Clune described the trade as “ablaze on the day with beef and forward cattle surpassing anything of the last few weeks”.
Cow prices from Carnew Mart:
- 904kg Simmental cow sold for €2,820;
- 810kg Limousin cow sold for €2,400;
- 890kg Limousin cow sold for €2,380.
One of the standout prices from the sale went to a 900kg cow selling for €2,820 or €3.13/kg
According to Clune, stock in general “were up €50-70/head” on previous weeks with €100 extra available in places.
Heifer and bullock prices from Carnew Mart:
- 594kg Liomusin heifer sold for €1,900;
- 648kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,840;
- Four Limousin heifers weighing 320kg each sold for €1,060/head;
- Two Limousin bullocks weighing 644kg each sold for €1,990/head;
- 632kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,910.
Store and forward cattle were described as “scarce” but “very much in demand by factory agents and feedlot buyers” while farmers were described as being “very active for lighter stores for grass”.
Cattle exporters were buying up bulls with all quality bulls described as “selling well in excess of €3.00/kg with a top price for bulls on the day of €3.83/kg.
Bull prices from Carnew Mart:
- Three Limousin bulls weighing 361kg each sold for €1,230/head or €3.41/kg;
- Two Limousin bulls weighing 359kg sold for €1,130.
In the calf sale, calves met “a very lively trade” with a full clearance. Soft continental calves sold to €510/head and reared ones to €680/head.
Hereford and Angus calves sold from €170 to €340/head for the better types. Friesian bull calves were in short supply and sold to a tops of €180/head for a group of five together
Cattle trade at Balla Mart
Balla Mart in Co. Mayo hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Saturday, June 8, also with the number of cattle on offer in the sale described by mart management as “bigger than normal for the time of year”.
The quality of the cattle – especially bullocks – was described as “mixed”, so average prices in the sale were not as high as the previous week but the demand for quality lots was noted as being “very strong” with heavy cattle being “snapped up by northern buyers”.
Bullocks in the 300-400kg weight bracket averaged €3.16/kg while the heavier store bullocks in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket averaged €3.08/kg. Heavier bullocks over 500kg averaged €3.01/kg.
A pair of 220kg Charolais bullocks born in October 2023 made €940 or €4.27/kg while a heavier two-year-old bullock weighing 770kg made €2,500 or €3.25/kg and was purchased by a northern customer.
The heifers were described as “selling well and anything nice got a good price”. Lighter store heifers in the 300-400kg weight bracket averaged €3.01/kg.
Heifers in the 400-500kg weight category averaged €3.15/kg, while heifers over 500kg averaged €3.00p/kg.
A 365kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,330 or €3.64/kg going for export on the day.
The were over 100 dry cows on offer with a good trade seen and “a lot of online bidding which was pushing prices on”.
A 700kg Limousin dry cow made €2,210 or €3.16/kg and was purchased by a northern customer. A cow with a Belgian Blue bull calf at foot sold for €2,420.
Weanling bulls weighing from 200-350kg averaged €3.79/kg and bulls weighing 350-450kg averaged €3.67/kg while bulls over 450kg averaged €3.04/kg.
A 320kg Limousin bull made €1,500 or €4.69/kg and another Belgian Blue bull weighing 370kg made €1,660.00 or €4.49/kg with both going for the export trade.
Tuam mart
At Tuam Mart on Monday, June 10, it was the bullocks and bulls that were the standout trade with as high as €3.87/kg paid for a pair of Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 297kg selling for €1,150 each.
Another 405kg Charolais bullock made €1,530 or €3.78/kg.
As high as €3.85/kg was paid for weanling bulls when a 305kg Belgian Blue bull sold for €1,170. Another 295kg Charolais bull sold for €1,060 or €3.59/kg.
Dry cows sold for up to €4.94/kg when a 705kg Limousin cow made €2,070.