Ballinrobe Mart: Dry cows are top of the town as prices hit €2,700

Aurivo Ballinrobe Mart – Cattle Prices – 05-04-2023

According to Teresa Gibsey, assistant manager at Aurivo Ballinrobe Mart, over 350 lots came under the hammer at its general cattle sale on Wednesday, April 5th, 2023.

Cull cows reached €2,740, while bullocks topped out at €2,180, heifers hit €2,000, weanling bulls made up to €1,580, weanling heifers soared to €1,110, pairs changed hands for up to €2,200, and calves peaked at €330.

Gibsey commented that “trade reflected that of the rest of the country with prices holding firm”.

Dry cows were “top trade” with a full clearance and prices from €960 to €2,740, with the best price going to a farmer from Farmhill, Claremorris at €2.66/kg with a 1030kg Chx.

There was a “good” number of sucklers for sale with prices reaching €2,220/unit for a pedigree Simmental second-calver with a March-born CHX bull calf at foot.

Suck calves were sold in ring 3, with a mixture of Belgian-Blue-cross, Friesian-cross and Hereford-cross calves on offer.

The assistant manager reported that returns ranged from €50 to €330, with an average of €150.

Bullock prices

Bullocks varied from €820 to €2,180 per head or €2.00 to €3.66 per kg, with an average of €3.07/kg for those in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket.

Top prices on the day were:

• CHX – 435KG – €1,590 – €3.66/KG;
• LMX – 665KG – €2,180 – €3.28/KG;
• CHX – 635KG – €2,070 – €3.26/KG;
• LMX – 392.5KG – €1,430 – €3.64/KG .

Heifer prices

According to the assistant manager, there were over 100 heifers on offer with a “good clearance”, as prices ranged from €740 to €2,000 per head or €2.36 to €3.75 per kg.

The average for heifers 500kg plus was €2.90/kg & lots in the 400 to 500kg bracket in this ring levelled at €2.89/kg.
Prices on the day included:

• LMX – 685KG – €2,000 – €2.92/KG;
• LMX – 675KG – €2,000 – €2.96/KG;
• LMX – 365KG – €1,370 – €3.75/KG;
• LMX – 470KG – €1,550 – €3.30/KG.

Weanling heifer prices: 

Weanling heifers changed hands from €470 to €1,110 per head or €2.71 to €3.64 per kg. The average for heifers 200 – 350kg was €3.05/kg.

Sample prices on the day included:

• CHX – 305KG – €1,090 – €3.57/KG;
• CHX – 380KG – €1,110 – €2.92/KG;
• LMX – 145KG – €470 – €3.24/KG;
• CHX – 320KG – €1,010 – €3.16/KG.

Weanling bull prices:

There was a nice selection of weanling bulls on offer with a 99% clearance as prices ranged from €560 to €1,580 per head or €2.11 to €4.29 per kg.

The average price for weanling bulls 200kg to 350kg was €3.46/kg, a 32c/kg increase on last week’s average, Gibsey noted.

Prices from Wednesday’s sale:

• CHX – 390KG – €1,490 – €3.82/KG;
• CHX – 330KG – €1,270 – €3.85/KG;
• CHX – 205KG – €880 – €4.29/KG;
• LMX – 230KG – €960 – €4.17/KG;
• LMX – 505KG – €1,580 – €3.13/KG.

Note:

• Special suck calf sales will take place in ring 3 (sheep yard) for the month of April.
• Special continental heifer sale on Wednesday, April 12th, 2023 – Bookings on 094-9541140.

Mart information:

• Address: Aurivo Ballinrobe Mart, Claremorris Road, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo
• Sales: Weekly cattle sales on Wednesday at 11 am (subject to seasonal change) and weekly sheep sales on Thursdays
• Note: Pre-booking every Thursday and Friday from 9 am-1 pm for cattle sales.
• Contact details: Telephone: 094-9541140.

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Read more news from farming journalist, Catherina Cunnane