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HomeBeefPrices top at €2,700 in ‘brisk’ trade at Raphoe
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
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Prices top at €2,700 in ‘brisk’ trade at Raphoe

Raphoe Mart – 12-01-2023 – Cattle Prices

According to Ann Harkin, there was a “large” entry of cattle on offer at Raphoe Mart on Thursday, January 12th, 2023.

The mart manager reported that the sale attracted mainly a selection of strong, forward-types.

She outlined that a “brisk” trade prevailed for all stock with quality cattle from €2.80/kg to €3.40/kg, while plainer Friesian types went under the hammer from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg.

Lighter cattle also met a lively trade, selling from €2.70/kg to €3.50/kg at Thursday’s sale.

AA cattle pushed from €2.30/kg to €3.00/kg, while FR cattle sold from €2.20/kg to €2.50/kg.

Raphoe Mart 12-01-2023
  • Bulls over 600kgs – €910 to €1575 over the weight;
  • Beef bullocks – €865 to €1225 over the weight;
  • Store bullocks – €450 to €1335 over the weight;
  • Beef heifers – €700 to €1335 over the weight;
  • Store heifers – €675 to €880 over the weight.

Summary:

  • Bulls/bullocks made from €2.20/kg to €3.30/kg;
  • Heifers traded from €2.30/kg to €3.50/kg;
  • Fat cows sold from €700/head to €2700/head.
Sheep prices

According to Harkin, the mart’s opening sheep sale of 2023 on Monday, January 9th also drew “a large entry”.

Fat ewes hit €220/head, while hoggets soared to €170/head at Monday’s sale, with prices as follows:

  • €70 to €90 for 28-35kgs;
  • €90 to €110 for 36-40kgs;
  • €110 to €170 for 41-46kgs;
  • €130 to €145 for 47-55kgs.
Ann Harkin

As part of our Mart FocusThat’s Farming profiled Ann Harkin, a former bookkeeper, financial controller and current manager of Raphoe Livestock Mart.

Ann Harkin from Convoy, County Donegal, never envisioned a career in agriculture with no farming background until the late 1980s.

In 1989, she applied for Raphoe Livestock Mart’s secretary job and became manager in 2001 due to the late John Witherow’s tendering.

“I never was in a mart until the day I did the interview; it was a secretary and financial controller position, which I applied for as my career; it was not because of a love of farming,” she told That’s Farming.

“I never thought I would become a manager; it was the trust of the committee and the mart shareholders who had confidence in me. It was never a job in my wildest dreams did I think I would get because I was not from a farming background.”

Established in 1959, Raphoe Livestock Mart began with a committee and 270 shareholders, holding their first sale in July 1961. Each shareholder bought five pounds of shares and generated funds from their locality to construct the livestock mart premises.

From humble beginnings, the late Harry Colhoun from Carnone began as the first mart manager. Then, the late John Witherow from Convoy managed the mart until Ann took over the reins.

“I remember working until 6:00 a.m, the morning after a sale with 2,000 cattle in the yard. On the market, speeded up sales, as most farmers used the marts then. Farmers have other ways out now; there is livestock sold on DoneDeal and livestock sold privately.”

Read her profile.

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