In this week’s edition of Talking Trade, That’s Farming editor, Catherina Cunnane, reviews cattle prices in livestock marts.
Ballinrobe Mart
According to Teresa Gibsey, assistant manager at Aurivo Ballinrobe Mart, prices ranged from €20 to €2,120 at its most recent cattle sale on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023, writes farming journalist, Catherina Cunnane.
She reported that the Mayo-based mart’s first-of-the-month continental bullock sale was “on the up”, with the highest price per kg remaining at €4.31/kg, as per last week’s levels.
Bullock prices varied from €510 to €2,030 per head or €1.59 to €4.31 per kg. The average for bullocks 500kg plus was €2.87/kg.
Dry cows made from €650 to €2,040, with the top call going to a farmer from Clooneeragh, Ballinrobe, at €2.63/kg with a 775kg LMX.
Meanwhile, a Limousin-cross cow with a Limousin-cross bull calf at foot fetched €2,120 from Culleen, Cong, with prices from €1,540 upwards in this category.
According to Gibsey, there was a mixture of Belgian Blue-cross, Aberdeen Angus-cross and Hereford-cross calves on offer with prices from €20 to €390 (80kg – AAX bull calf) with an average of €185 per head.
A “good” turnout of heifers saw returns range from €620 to €1,880 per head or €1.98 to €3.65 per kg. The average for heifers 500kg plus was €2.76/kg & heifers 400 to 500kg levelled out at €2.86/kg.
Weanling bulls were a “decent trade”, with prices from €390 to €1,390 per head or €2.39 to €3.74 per kg. The average price for weanling 200kgs to 350kgs was €3.27/kg, and weanlings 350kgs to 450kgs levelled out at €3.19/kg.
Weanling heifer prices ranged from €760 to €1060 per head or €3.06 to €3.81 per kg. The average for heifers 200 – 350kg was €3.40/kg, an increase on last week’s average, according to Gibsey.
Read more on this mart article.
Castlerea Mart
A “very lively” trade prevailed for store cattle on the back of “strong” farmer activity at Castlerea Mart’s sale on Thursday, May 4th, 2023, writes farming journalist, Catherina Cunnane.
According to Brendan Egan, cows with calves at foot made up to €3290, while dry cows peaked at €2530.
Bullocks maxed out at €2220, while heifers peaked at €2090, and the calf ring, with “good” numbers on offer, witnessed a “good” clearance.
He commented: “700 animals were on offer on Thursday as we entered the first week of May.”
“The weanling rings witnessed some very strong prices with heifers topping out at €4.87/kg and bulls peaking at €4.77/kg,” Egan added.
Cows with calves at foot made from €1140 to €3290 for a Shorthorn cow and her Limousin heifer calf at foot, while springers pushed from €1150 to €1550.
Dairy-cross calves ranged from €20 to €55, while AAX and HEX calves varied from €120 to €360, with continentals to €440.
Read more on this mart report.
Ennis Mart
According to a spokesperson for Ennis Mart, just over 850 lots came under the hammer at Tuesday’s (May 2nd, 2023) general cattle sale.
They reported that an “excellent” trade prevailed for pairs in the suckler ring, with highs of €2,640, with many lots making between €2,000-€2,500 and in-calf e to €1,960.
They commented: “Trade just about held its own, yet some very fancy prices were achieved in both rings.”
“The strong suck calves met a very good trade with Hereford-cross types making between €165 to €400 and Aberdeen Angus-cross calves making from €75 to €375,” the spokesperson added.
Read more on this mart report.
Tuam Mart
A “bombing” bank holiday trade prevailed at Tuam Mart’s general cattle sale on Monday, May 1st, 2023, writes farming journalist, Catherina Cunnane.
That is according to manager, Marion Devane, who reported that cull cows soared to €2,500, while heifers peaked at €1,820 and bullocks skyrocketed to €2,610.
Meanwhile, in the weanling rings, bulls made up to €1,370, while heifers maxed out at €1,180.
Read more on this mart report.
See our full range of marts reports.
