Kingscourt Mart in Co. Cavan hosted its second auction of cattle from TB restricted herds on Monday, July 14, with over 100 cattle entered in the online sale.

The new livestock sale option facilitated through MartEye is available to farmers whose herds are restricted under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM’s) TB Eradication Scheme, and have cattle to sell.

Only Controlled Finishing Unit (CFU) herds are allowed to bid in these online sales.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Kingscourt Mart manager Lisa Keenan said: "There was 122 cattle altogether in the sale and these were sold in 10 lots - eight of which were calves and runners, and two lots of weanlings.

The top price was €5.35/kg paid for Charolais weanling bulls averaging approximately 420kg.

Heavier cattle were sold on a per kilo basis, and the runners and calves are sold on a price per head basis.

Outlining some of the prices, the mart manager said: "A batch of 12 March and April-2025-born Charolais bull calves out of Friesian and Jersey cows made €890/head, and a batch of 20 Hereford bull calves made €880/head.

Other prices from the TB restricted sale for spring-2025-born calves:

12 Hereford bulls: €740/head;
17 Hereford heifers: €730/head;
18 Charolais heifers: €850/head;
10 Angus bulls: €750/head;
17 Angus heifers: €710/head.

The Kingscourt Mart manager told Agriland there has been "a phenomenal demand" for the sale service and added that another sale of 60 reared calves from a restricted herd in Co. Tipperary will take place at 10:00a.m this morning (Thursday, July 17) on the MartEye app.

"Only CFU herds can bid but anyone can watch the auction," she emphasised.

Cattle sales are approved on a case-by-case basis, subject to district veterinary office (DVO) approval and once all other parameters are in compliance with regulations.