Kilkenny Mart – Sheep Prices – 20-03-2023
According to George Candler, just over 500 lots came under the hammer at Kilkenny Mart’s sheep sale on Monday, March 20th, 2023.
The mart’s auctioneer reported that trade was similar to the previous week, with cull ewes to €194/head and hoggets/lambs to €165/head.
Factory lambs – €2.60-€3.00/kg or €110-€144/head:
- 11 48kgs – €144;
- 14 46kgs – €131;
- 8 45kgs – €129;
- 16 44kgs – €128;
- 10 43kgs – €112;
- 10 41kgs – €110.
Butcher lambs – €2.25-€2.88/kg or €142-€165/head:
- 20 73kgs – €165;
- 10 59kgs – €155;
- 46 58kgs – €154;
- 10 55kgs – €157;
- 9 54kgs – €151;
- 13 51kgs – €147.
Other categories:
- Cast ewes – €63 to €194/head
Last week’s cattle prices
According to George Candler, turnover exceeded €1.25 million at Kilkenny Mart’s general cattle sale on Thursday, March 16th, 2023.
The mart’s auctioneer reported that trade “remained buoyant” for quality lots with “no shortage of customers” at Thursday’s sale, which attracted a large entry than the previous week, with some 1,050 lots on offer.
Candler outlined that cull cows peaked at €2,310, while heifers soared to €2,140 and bullocks fetched up to €3,080.
- Friesian cull cows – €1.25-€2.50/kg.
- Continental cull cows – €1.70-€3.00/kg;
- Beef heifers – €2.40-€3.28/kg or €1,650-€2,140/head;
- Forward store heifers – €2.40-€3.24/kg or €1,150-€1,700/head;
- Light store heifers – €2.00-€3.25/kg or €550-€1,160/head;
- Bullocks: 600kgs – €2.30/kg or €3.35/kg or €1,660-€3,080/head;
- 500-600kgs – €2.20-€3.45/kg or €1,150-€2,030/head;
- 400-500kgs – €1.80-€3.40/kg or €800-€1,660/head;
- <400kgs – €1.80-€3.90/kg or €500-€1,400/head.
Read a full report from last week’s cattle.
An interview with George Candler
As part of our On the Rostrum series, That’s Farming previously spoke to George Candler, a name synonymous with the Irish Limousin Cattle Society and Kilkenny Mart for over 40 years.
George Candler, from Ballintubber, County Roscommon, grew up on a 100-acre farm and his involvement in the livestock mart industry began through his father being founding chairperson of Roscommon Mart, who held the position from 1959 to 1986.
“I used to read cattle for people and collect cards. When I went to secondary school, I did clerking, reading, and weighing in the mart. I never sold cattle before I entered Kilkenny Mart,” George Candler told That’s Farming.
Read about his journey.
Kilkenny Mart information:
- Address: Kilkenny Co-Operative Livestock Market LTD, Cillin Hill, Dublin Road, Co. Kilkenny
- Contact details: [email protected]or phone: 056-7721407 or see the mart’s website.
Upcoming sales:
- Sheep and calf sale – Mondays at 10 am with a dairy sale at 12 pm
- Cattle sale – Thursday – Cows at 10 am, followed by heifers, with bullocks at 10:30 am.
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