Cattle marts report: Friesian bounce signals recovery in mart trade for all but poorer quality animals
Cattle hauler Michael Crowley took out a few cattle for me, and in my jeep, I took out a few children as well.
And how did I get on?
Well, I’m glad to report that I was pleased with both the performance of the cattle and the children.
Both seemed relaxed in the mart setting.
There was a good buzz around Bandon mart on Monday, with a noticeable increase of buyers in attendance.
And the Friesian bullock was making the most of it.
In Bandon, he was back once again, hitting €2/kilo.
Even the younger lighter Friesian of about the 350kg mark was in demand.
So I picked a good day to strike.
I had a few heifers as well, of the Angus variety, they weighed 342kg and made €760.
Craig Lovett, the new auctioneer on the block, did my selling for me. And he did a fine job.
My Angus heifers didn’t fetch the best price of the day, but as I’m tried of proclaiming at this stage, your much cherished mart reporter doesn’t have the finest cattle in the country.
I got good money for what I had to offer.
In Bandon on Monday, the mart had 100 dry cows on offer, and they made from €150 to €700 with their weight.
The back-in-form Friesian bullock sold from €250 to €800 with the kilo.
Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks ranged in price from €400 to €650 with the kilo.
Continental bullocks in Bandon made up to €750 with the kilo.
Heifers made from €300 to €660 with their weight.
Bandon
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Fr steers 441kg 900
2 Fr steers 810kg 1540
1 Hr heifer 545kg 1165
3 Hr heifers 370kg 840
1 Hr cow 665kg 1260
1 Ch cow 770kg 1410
6 Fr cows 731kg 1205
We turn next to Dungarvan mart where, after Monday’s cattle sale, mart manger Ger Flynn gave us this report: “Cattle numbers are holding well, with a good trade for very good cattle, plainer lots a little harder to sell”.
In Dungarvan, suckler cows with calves at foot sold from €1,380 to €1,870.
Dungarvan
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 Ch steers 730kg 1740
3 AA steers 722kg 1405
1 Ch steer 725kg 1625
3 Lm heifers 443kg 1005
1 Hr heifer 500kg 1025
2 Hr heifers 430kg 890
1 Fr cow 785kg 1270
In Macroom mart on Saturday last, dry cows sold from €85 to €700 over the kilo.
Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks made from €205 to €740 over the kilo.
Continental bullocks sold from €230 to €780 over the kilo.
Heifers sold from €230 to €870 with the kilo.
Macroom
Saturday
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 AA steer 730kg 1470
2 Hr steers 640kg 1290
1 Ch steer 585kg 1365
1 Sim steer 495kg 1240
1 Lm heifer 490kg 1360
1 Sim heifer 625kg 1410
1 Lm cow 750kg 1450
“Any fall in cattle prices over the past couple of weeks was more than compensated for in Kilmallock last Monday,” was Denis Kirby’s upbeat report on the trade at the Limerick cattle mart.
“We had 874 stock on offer, and they were much sought after by the 214 buyers in attendance.”
Similar to the bullock trade in Bandon, Denis said that the Friesian was back, hitting the €2 per kg mark.
Bullocks in Kilmallock on Monday went to a high of €2.84 per kg. The 100 dry cows on offer hit €2.10 per kg.
Heifers went to €2.60 per kg.
There was a strong calf trade in Kilmallock, with a high of €775 paid for a six-month-old Charolais bull.
A week-old Limousin bull also made the headlines, making €630, which was a big price to pay for a fellow still anxious for a sup of milk.
Looking at dairy stock, a 4-year-old calved cow sold for €1,500 in Kilmallock. A 3-year-old calved heifer made €1,250, while a 4-year-old calved Jersey sold for €1,150.
Looking at factory bulls, a Limousin of 1,050kg made €1,950. A Shorthorn of 685kg sold for €950.
In suckling, a 10-year-old Limousin and her Limousin heifer calf made €1,300.
A 3-year-old Aberdeen Angus heifer springing to calf made €1,290.
Kilmallock
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 BB steers 395kg 975
6 Hr steers 341kg 875
5 Ch steers 340kg 870
5 Fr steers 371kg 780
1 Lm heifer 470kg 1220
4 AA heifers 308kg 660
2 Hr heifers 330kg 785
In Thurles cattle mart on Monday, mart manager Martin Ryan also spotted the ‘Friesian bounce’.
“Overall, Friesians were up on the previous week, most others very steady. Any weaknesses were in poor quality stock. Good continental stock and cull cows were a hot trade.”
Thurles
Monday
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Ch steers 494kg 1300
5 Lm steers 481kg 1120
4 Fr steers 435kg 850
6 AA steers 458kg 990
5 Ch heifers 311kg 795
3 Hr heifers 475kg 965
6 Lm heifers 457kg 1135
Tom McCarthy, mart manager at Skibbereen, reported “a nice lift in the trade” on Friday. Dry cows in Skibbereen sold from €230 to €530 with the kilo.
Bullocks in Skibbereen made from €300 to €800 with the kilo. Heifers on Friday sold from €350 to €600 with their weight.
Skibbereen
Friday
No Breed Sex Weight €
2 AA steers 492kg 1270
3 Hr steers 380kg 900
1 Ch steer 580kg 1380
3 Hr steers 380kg 900
1 Lm heifer 710kg 1610
2 Ch heifers 377kg 910
1 Hr cow 770kg 1300
And the favourable trading conditions for livestock were echoed in Corrin mart on Tuesday. Mart manager Sean Leahy reported a “good steady trade again this week, with last week’s good trade easily maintained.”
Store bullocks in Corrin on Tuesday made from €250 to €620 over the kilo, with beef bullocks making up to €750 with their weight.
Heifers in Corrin made from €270 to €530, and butcher types made up to €880 with the kilo.
Dry cows in Corrin sold from €700 to €1,580 a head.
Corrin
Tuesday
No Breed Sex Weight €
1 BB steer 586kg 1440
5 Hr steers 699kg 1435
5 Ch steers 440kg 1220
6 Fr steers 454kg 905
3 Hr heifers 398kg 885
2 Lm heifers 448kg 1230
1 Ch cow 780kg 1580
Finally for this week, we go to Kanturk mart where, after Tuesday’s cattle sale, mart manager Seamus O’Keeffe gave us this report.
“We had a big sale for the time of the year, with 520 cattle on offer, this included 60 calves. Prices were the same as last week, with demand exceeding supply.
“Our next weanling show and sale will be held on the 25th of August for spring born weanlings, with prizes for autumn born weanlings also. Intakes open at 7am with show cattle to be penned by 10.30am. Our show and sale is kindly sponsored by Dovea Genetics and O’Regan Mills Millstreet.”
No Breed Sex Weight €
5 Fr steers 654kg 1190
6 Hr steers 633kg 1180
3 Lm steers 480kg 1145
1 BB steer 530kg 1080
2 BB heifers 452kg 1035
5 Hr heifers 434kg 865
1 Fr cow 760kg 1330
