Balla Mart – cattle prices – 25-09-2021

According to Stephen Hannon, Balla Mart’s turnover hit €1.35m at Saturday’s cattle sale (September 25th, 2021).

He reported that over 1,200 entries went under the hammer at its general cattle sale, which it held in conjunction with its special end of month continental sale.

Hannon, general manager of Aurivo Marts and Balla Mart, said: “There was great buying for cattle, with more farmers and other buyers around than normal, resulting in some big prices.”

“Numbers are remaining big due to high prices paid, plus the mild weather favouring grass growth. There was a serious yard of cattle on sale.”

“Heavy bullocks and heifers were a great trade, while over 100 dry cows were quoted as being an unreal trade.”

Balla Mart 25-09-2021:

Bullock prices:

Bullocks 300kg to 400kg averaged €2.48/kg, store bullocks 400kg to 500kg averaged €2.57 p/kg and heavier bullocks 500kg + levelled at €2.48 /kg.

“Heavy bullocks 700kg+ were still making excellent prices, hitting over the €1,100-€1,200 with the weight,” Hannon remarked.

The sale topper in this ring came in the form of an April-2019-born Charolais-cross, weighing 810kgs, at €2,130. On his heels at €2,060 was a June-2019-born entry, hitting the scales at 790kgs.

• FR – 300kgs – €410;
• BBX – 320kgs – €730;
• LMX – 460kgs – €1,110;
• HEX – 460kgs – €860;
• CHX – 500kgs – €1,330;
• LMX – 500kgs – €1,280;
• SIX – 505kgs – €1,190;
• CHX – 510kgs – €1,280;
• LMX – 740kgs – €1,880;
• CHX – 735kgs – €1,860;
• LMX – 765kgs – €1,730;
• CHX – 790kgs – €1,680;
• 1 CHX – 810kgs – €1,830;
• AAX – 745kgs – €1,770;
• SAX – 725kgs – €1,870;
• CHX – 715kgs – €1,860;
• CHX – 700kgs – €1,760;
• LMX – 665kg – €1,860;
• BBX – 580kgs – €1,540.

Heifer prices:

Hannon reported that over 500 heifers were on offer in ring two. Heifers up to 400 kg averaged €2.41/kg, while those 400kg to 500kg levelled at €2.52/kg and those 500kg averaged €2.45/kg.

Topping the price table in this ring was a CHX, weighing 590kgs, at €1,900, while an Aberdeen-Angus-cross, weighing 620kgs, followed at €1,860.

• LMX – 245kgs – €560;
• LMX – 270kgs – €800;
• 1 LMX – 375kgs – €870;
• CHX – 405kgs – €1,000;
• LMX – 410kgs – €830;
• SI – 410kgs – €820;
• LMX – 445kgs – €1,110;
• CHX – 450kgs – €1,120;
• 2 BBX – 455kgs – €1,040;
• CHX – 460kgs – €1,040;
• CHX – 475kgs – €1,070;
• BBX – 480kgs – €950;
• HEX – 480kgs – €920;
• SIX – 500kgs – €1,030;
• CH – 500kgs – €1,350;
• CHX – 500kgs – €1,350;
• SHX – 505kgs – €880;
• CHX – 515kgs – €1,230.

Cull cows and suckler stock

In the sucklers, an April-2019-born second-calver sow with a Charolais bull calf fetched €1,830. Quality of sucklers was variable, with sluggish demand for traditional-bred heifers, AI’d to easy-calving sires, and due from early spring 2022 onwards.

Meanwhile, Hannon noted that dry cow prices were up on the previous week’s levels, due to the presence of Northern Ireland and factory buyers.

Leading the charge was a 925kg Charolais-cross dry cow, born in February-2009, at €2,220.

• CHX – 840kgs – €1,940;
• CHX – 840kgs – €1,740;
• SIX – 805kgs – €1,660;
• CHX – 795kgs – €1,630;
• SRX – 760kgs – €1,760;
• SA – 755kgs – €1,480;
• LMX – 740kgs – €1,575;
• SH – 725kgs – €1,520;
• SIX – 710kg – €1,150;
• BBX – 695kgs – €1,600;
• LM – 690kgs – €1,570;
• HEX – 660kgs – €1,150;
• BBX – 620kgs – €1,030;
• LMX – 680kgs – €1,450;
• AAX – 695kgs – €1,500;
• SIX – 705kgs – €1,250;
• AAX – 625kgs – €1,000.

Balla Mart information:

• Address: Aurivo Balla Mart, Carrowntober, Oughter, Co. Mayo
• Contact information:Phone: 094-9365068 or see Aurivo’s website.
• Sale days:Weanlings: Tuesdays. Bullocks, heifers, cull cows, sucklers, and stock bulls on Saturdays with rings as follows:
• 1:Bullocks at 10:30 am Saturday ringside and online.
• 2:Heifers at 10:30 am Saturday ringside and online
• 3:Dry Cows/breeding bulls & springers at 10:45 am/11 am ringside and online.

Tuesday weanling sales:

• Ring 1: Bull weanlings at 10:30 am Tuesday ringside and online.
• Ring 2: Heifer weanlings at 10:45 am Tuesday ringside and online.
• Intake time 07:00 amto 09:30 am on Saturdays. 08:00 amto 09:30 am on Tuesdays.

Further reading

That’s Farming previously profiled Stephen Hannon, general manager of Aurivo Marts and manager of Balla Mart – Read this article by Stephen Hannon here.

Read a report from the previous week’s sale.

Mart reports

Read more mart reports (cattle and sheep prices) on That’s Farming.

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