Marts around the country are noticing “a tougher trade” for plainer-type cattle this week, while quality lots including heavy cattle, bull weanlings and breeding heifers remain a relatively good trade.
Factory price offerings for finished cattle have declined by up to 10c/kg for this week, which is taking a toll on the trade but despite this, activity from cattle buyers in Northern Ireland is helping to underpin demand for forward and heavy bullocks, as well as heifers.
Export demand is also helping the trade for continental weanling bulls and heifers at marts around the country.
Tuam Mart
Prices available for beef cattle and cows were described as “good overall” but the trade for some types of store cattle dropped off at Tuam Mart in Co. Galway on Monday, July 8.
Sample cow prices from Tuam Mart:
- 675kg Limousin cow sold for €1,890 or€2.80/kg;
- 1,000kg Parthenaise cow sold for €2,770 or €2.77/kg;
- 760kg Simmental cow sold for €2,050 or €2.70/kg.
Sample heifer prices from Tuam:
- 627kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,870 or €2.98/kg;
- Two 682kg Charolais heifers sold for €2,060 or €3.02/kg;
- Three 698kg Charolais heifers sold for €2,100 or €3.01/kg.
Sample bullock prices include:
- Four 366kg Limousin bullocks sold for €1,300 or €3.55/kg;
- 440 Limousin bullock sold for €1,480 or €3.36/kg;
- 560kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,750 or €3.13/kg;
- 625kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,850 or €2.96/kg;
- 755kg Simmental bullock sold for €2,160 or €2.86/kg.
According to a sale report from the mart venue there was a “solid trade for beef cattle and cows” with “a good market for quality stores”, however it was noted that “plainer cattle had a tougher trade”.
Ballyjamesduff
Ballyjamesduff Mart in Co. Cavan hosted an on-farm hybrid bull and breeding heifer sale on Friday evening, July 5, on behalf of Tateetra and Rathmore Farms.
There was a 100% clearance in the sale with 23 heifers, five bulls and four embryos on offer in the sale.
Prices from the sale:
The 23 heifers sold to a high of €2,600 and an average just under €2,000, while the five bulls sold to a top price of €4,200 and an average of just under €3,300.
The four embryos on offer in the sale sold to an average price of €575 and the top-priced embryo sold for €700.
Balla Mart
There was a good turnout of cattle at Balla Mart in Co. Mayo this wee, with a lot of lighter stores on sale.
A sale report from the mart noted that the plainer store cattle were “harder to sell, but any quality lots got exceptional prices especially the breeding heifers and cows that went north”.
There was a good yard of dry cows on offer at the Saturday sale also “which were making more than bullocks at times”.
Bullocks in the 300-400kg weight category averaged €3.15/kg, while store bullocks weighing 400-500kg averaged €2.88/kg.
Heavier bullocks weighing over 500kg averaged €2.87/kg. One 770kg Charolais bullock born in June 2022 made €2,500 or €3.25/kg.
Heifers were described as “selling very well” and some of the breeding types “made exceptional prices”.
Lighter store heifers weighing from 300-400kg averaged €2.86/kg. Heifers in the 400-500kg weight band averaged €2.88/kg while heifers weighing over 500kg averaged €2.99/kg.
An April 2022-born Charolais heifer weighing 620kg made €2,570 or €4.15/kg and went to a Northern buyer for breeding. Another lighter Charolais heifer weighing 395kg made €1,350or 3.42/kg.
In the dry cow sale, a 975kg continental cow made €2,840 and in the springer sale an April 2019 Limousin cow with a Charolais bull calf at foot sold for €3,400.
Exporters added further to demand in the bull weanling sale with bulls weighing from 200-350kg averaging €3.08/kg.
Bulls weighing from 350-450kg averaged €3.45/kg while bulls over 450kg averaged €3.34/kg.
A Belgian Blue weanling bull weighing 355kg made €1,530 or €4.31/kg and another Belgian Blue bull weighing 410kg made €1,680 or €4.10/kg with both going for export.