Suckler pairs to €2,120 & heifers to €1,950 in Balla – Hannon

Farming News/Mart Reports: Cattle Prices – Mart Reports – 22-07-2023

According to Stephen Hannon, numbers were “similar to the previous week” at Aurivo Balla Mart’s most recent cattle sale on Saturday, July 22^nd, 2023.

He reported that circa 450 cattle cross the scales at the sale, with highs of €1,940 for bullocks, heifers to €1,950, cull cows to €1,940 and suckler pairs to €2,120.

Hannon commented: “Farmers appeared to be presently surprised with the good prices, despite inclement weather conditions putting a dent in things and prices coming back in beef factories.”

Bullocks 300kg to 400kg averaged €2.85/kg, while those in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket levelled at €2.85/kg and heavier types of 500kg plus sold for an average of €2.70/kg.

Quality, heavy bullocks 700kg+ made up to €1300 over the kg, with “the best of the heavy bullocks bought online by a northern factory buyer” with highs of €1,910 for a 640kg entry.

• SHX – 560kgs – €1,380;
• PTX – 525kgs – €1,410;
• CHX – 565kgs – €1,520;
• CHX – 545kgs – €1,260;
• SI – 585kgs – €1,440;
• CHX – 520kgs – €1,340;
• 2 SAX – 405kgs – €1,250;
• SAX – 200kgs – €630;
• AAX – 735kgs – €2,000;
• CHX – 650kgs – €1,820;
• LMX – 450kgs – €1,200;
• LMX – 555kgs – €1,475;
• CHX – 600kgs – €1,560;
• LMX – 580kgs – €1,480;
• HEX – 560kgs – €1,260;
• LMX – 560kgs – €1,520;
• AAX – 610kgs – €1,640;
• CHX – 675kgs – €1,940;
• CHX – 660kgs – €1,900;
• CHX – 570kgs – €1,530;
• CHX – 510kgs – €1,420;
• LMX – 585kgs – €1,650;
• CHX – 720kgs – €1,980;
• AAX – 700kgs – €1,790;
• CHX – 650kgs – €1,720.

Heifer prices

In the heifer ring, this week just over 150 lots changed hands and “they were slightly up on the previous week”.

Lighter store heifers 300 – 400kg averaged €2.74/kg, while entries 400kg to 500kg levelled at €2.94/kg and those 500kg+ sold for €2.90/kg. Top of the town in this ring at €1,950 was a LMX at 660kgs.

• CHX – 495kgs – €1,420;
• CH – 615kgs – €1,650;
• LMX – 565kgs – €1,580;
• CHX – 510kgs – €1,440;
• LMX – 500kgs – €1,390;
• CHX – 500kgs – €1,440;
• LMX – 385kgs – €1,190;
• LMX – 645kgs – €1,800;
• BBX – 435kgs – €1,460;
• CHX – 330kgs – €1,080;
• CHX – 400kgs – €1,270;
• AAX – 350kgs – €800;
• LM – 555kgs – €1,730;
• CHX – 625kgs – €1,820;
• SAX – 555kgs – €1,580;
• AAX – 445kgs – €1,040;
• 2 LMX – 400kgs – €1,260;
• CHX – 635kgs – €1,750;
• CHX – 650kgs – €1,760;
• CHX – 505kgs – €1,450;
• AA – 695kgs – €1,860;
• SIX – 420kgs -€1,060;
• HEX – 370kgs – €890.

Cull cow prices

The cows were sold after the bullocks in ring one with between €2.40 to 2.70/kg for quality types, according to Hannon.

“Prices are sticking firm with interest from Northern Ireland buyers online. There was a 715kg Limousin cow that made €1,940 or €2.71/kg that went north.”

“In the sucklers, a farmer from Crossmolina had a AA cow, born in May 2017, with a 3-month Charolais-cross bull calf at foot, that made €2,120,” Hannon added.

• AAX – 795kgs – €1,790;
• SIX – 635kgs – €1,780;
• CH – 715kgs – €1,560;
• MOX – 700kgs – €1,270;
• HEX – 500kgs – €800;
• FR – 635kgs – €1,180;
• BBX – 620kgs – €1,580;
• BBX – 825kgs – €1,740;
• LMX – 475kgs – €800;
• LMX – 680kgs – €1,570;
• AA – 790kgs – €1,870;
• LMX – 780kgs – €2,090;
• LMX – 775kgs – €1,780;
• SAX – 725kgs – €1,670;
• SHX – 529kgs – €980;
• LMX – 690kgs – €1,870;
• LMX – 690kgs – €1,870.

Weanling bull prices

Weanling bulls 200kg to 350kg averaged €2.54/kg, while 350kg to 450kg types levelled at €2.91/kg.

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 (seasonal). Bullocks, heifers, cull cows, sucklers, and stock bulls on Saturdays.

Further reading

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

Mart reports

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