The record prices currently available for factory-fit beef cattle are filtering down to the lighter categories of cattle also with current prices being achieved for all weight categories of cattle at an all time high including the lighter type weanling bulls and heifers.
There was a smaller number of cattle on offer at Mid-Tipperary Co-Operative Livestock Mart’s (Thurles Mart) weekly cattle sale on Monday, January 27.
Speaking to Agriland following the sale, Thurles Mart manager Martin (Murt) Ryan said: “The incentive that’s there for farmers to actually sell those yearling cattle at the minute is huge.
“What is really good in my eyes is to see the guys that reared the calves are getting paid for doing it and that’s really going to be an incentive for them to go back and rear a few more this year.”
Some of the most notable prices from the sale at Thurles Mart included 300kg Friesian bullocks making €880 or €2.93/kg. One of the top prices per kg of the sale went to a 350kg Limousin heifer that made €1,590 or €4.54/kg.
Another four Charolais bullocks with an average weight of 291kg sold for €1,190/head or €4.09/kg.
Weanling bulls and heifers at Carnaross
Carnaross Mart in Co. Meath hosted its weekly weanling sale on Tuesday, January 28, with as high as €4.98/kg paid for weanling bulls.
The top-price per kg went to a 225kg Charolais bull that made €1,120 while another 180kg Charolais bull made €890 or €4.94/kg.
A heavier 385kg Charolais weanling bull made €1,650 or €4.29/kg while another 435kg Charolais weanling bull made €3.95/kg or €1,720.
Other prices for weanling bulls included:
- 210kg Charolais bull sold for €990 or €4.71/kg;
- 235kg Charolais bull sold for €1,090 or €4.64/kg;
- 240kg Charolais bull sold for €1,100 or €4.58/kg;
- 315kg Charolais bull sold for €1,410 or €4.48/kg.
Dozens of weanling bulls and heifers made well over the €4.00/kg mark with weanling heifers peaking at €4.52/kg for a 210kg Charolais heifer making €950.
A 250kg Angus-cross heifer made €930 or €3.72/kg and another 281kg Angus-cross heifer made €1,050 or €3.74/kg.