The 43rd annual fatstock show and sale for bullocks and bulls took place on Saturday, January 27, at Carnew Mart, Co. Wicklow, with approximately 1,200 cattle on offer.
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Carnew Mart's Eugene Clune said: "There was a roaring trade from start to finish", and noted "the suckler-bred cattle are really moving into a different gear. You couldn't value stock at the minute".
He said: "Buyers from the north, south, east and west of the country were in attendance at the sale, with up to €4.10/kg paid for bullocks, while top-quality beef cattle sold between €3.40-€3.60/kg. Plainer types of fat cattle sold for over €3.00/kg.
Class 1: Best continental factory-type bullock:
Class 2: Best two or more continental factory type bullocks:
"The top 14 beef cattle in the sale made from €3,000 to a top price of €3,600 for the champion Limousin-cross bullock sold by Owen O'Neill from Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow," he added.
Weighing in at 878kg, the bullock sold for €3,600 or €4.10/kg and was bought by Harry Grufferty for Dawn Meats.
Class 3: Best non-continental factory type bullock:
Class 4: Best two or more store bullocks:
Hereford and Angus cattle were also described as "a very strong trade" with €2.80 -€3.10/kg "readily available" for weights over 500kg.
Class 5: Best continental store bullock:
Clune said forward stores "were in strong supply" with many specialist feeders on offer to buy the quality cattle on offer. €
3.10-€3.60/kg was paid for these sorts.
Once the bullock sale wrapped up, the weanling bulls were next into the ring and met a powerful trade with "local farmers, specialist feeders and a number of exporters on hand both online and ringside".
Clune said: "Bulls topped at €5.10/kg with a number of shapey, blue bulls making well in excess of €4.00/kg.
Class 6: Best continental weanling bull:
"In general, normal farmers' bulls sold for between €3.20 and €3.60/kg while some plainer bulls sold for between €2.90-€3.10/kg.
"A few Friesian-cross bulls were on offer and sold for an average of €2.40/kg."
Other notable prices from the sale:
Carnew Mart is set to host its annual fatstock show and sale of cows on Friday, February 2, and the fatstock show and sale of heifers will take place on Saturday, February 3.