Prices skyrocketed to €3,040 for a Belgian Blue-cross heifer, out of a Blonde-cross-Belgian-Blue-cross Simmental dam, with BYU breeding, at Balla Mart, Co Mayo on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023.
Headlining the sale was a 16-10-2023-born breeding female featured, which featured on That’s Farming in recent days, bred by Westport-based suckler farmer, Martin Lyons.
She crossed the scales at 420kgs at yesterday’s sale and went under Brendan Corrigan’s hammer for €3,040 or €7.24/kg, following a flurry of bids.
According to Stephen Hannon, general manager of Aurivo Marts and manager of Balla Mart, all averages passed the €3.30/kg mark.
Those 200kg to 350 kg levelled at €3.19/kg, while heifer weanlings 350kg to 450kg sold for €3.32/kg of an average, and entries north of 450kg saw an average of €3.10/kg.
Sample prices from this ring as follows:
- LMX – 270kgs – €800;
- BBX – 265kgs – €1,100;
- BBX – 345kgs – €1,150;
- BBX – 315kgs – €1,040;
- CHX – 305kgs – €930;
- BBX – 405kgs – €1,920;
- BBX – 305kgs – €1,000;
- BBX – 385kgs – €1,400;
- CHX – 315kgs – €780;
- LMX – 230kgs – €830;
- CHX – 290kgs – €1,020;
- CHX – 335kgs – €870;
- CHX – 345kgs – €1,310;
- CHX – 375kgs – €1,040;
- CHX – 185kgs – €640;
- LMX – 300kgs – €990.
Bull weanlings
Meanwhile, according to Hannon, in the mart’s ring 1 (weanling bulls), “trade was very lively with customers from around Ireland, including exporters who seemed to be seeking bulls averaging 330-360kgs plus.”
“Farmers and online buyers were also very active,” he noted.
Bull weanlings 200kg to 350kg averaged €3.45/kg, while bulls 350kg to 450kg levelled at €3.26/kg and those north of 450kg recorded €2.92/kg as their average price.
One CHX bull born in March 23 weighing 370kg made €1,490 €4.03/kg, while a 470kg BBX sold for €1,500 and a CHX weighing 575kg made €1,650 (latter two – 11 and 12 months old).
Some sample prices as follows –
- BBX – 300kgs – €1,220;
- BBX – 285kgs – €1,040;
- BBX – 290kgs – €960;
- CHX – 275kgs – €1,140;
- CHX – 270kgs – €1,120;
- LMX – 365kgs – €1,120;
- LMX – 305kgs – €910;
- AAX – 285kgs – €750;
- CHX – 315kgs – €1,120;
- 2 CH – 215kgs – €790;
- LM – 395kgs – €1,350;
- CHX – 325kgs – €1,210;
- SA – 385kgs – €1,050;
- LMX – 320kgs – €1,000;
- SIX – 350kgs – €910;
- PTX – 345kgs – €950.
 from cattle sale of weanling bulls and weanling heifers held at Aurivo Balla Mart, Co Mayo on 03-10-2023.){kind=link}