It was a wet and challenging day for farmers bringing cattle to the marts on Wednesday (March 10) – however with reports of the prices strengthening they were encouraged to brace the harsh conditions to take advantage of an improved trade.
This week AgriLand took a trip down to Kilcullen to see how cattle were trading on Wednesday in the Leinster Mart.
There was close to 120 lots of cattle entered this week, with very few dry cows up for grabs. Of few dry cows that were sold, Friesians sold from €1.20/kg up to €1.44/kg.
Taking a look at the cattle most in demand at the minute, there was good continental-bred store bullocks and heifers on offer – with just the right amount of flesh and not over-done with feeding to have them suitable for grazing grass over the next few months.
Bullocks
There was a nice selection of continental bullocks weighing between 500-600kg that generally sold at €2.22-2.41/kg – with some outlying prices easing back to €2.11/kg. Angus bullocks were peaked at €2.11/kg
Forward store bullocks (over 600kg) were topped at €2.27/kg for continentals. Some Angus bullocks that were closer to the 700kg mark were selling at €2.23/kg back to €2.11/kg.
Heavy Friesian bullocks weighing between 700-800kg sold from €1.61/kg up to €1.86/kg.
The lighter store bullocks weighing in at the 400-500kg bracket were just not as plentiful, continentals sold from €2.55/kg – for quality Charolais and Limousin bullocks – and back to €2.00/kg.
Click on a thumbnail in the gallery (below) to open up a full-size image; once opened you can scroll sideways to see the next picture. Refer to each caption to see details of each lot, including the hammer price.
- Charolais bullock weighing 545kg sold for €1,240 or €2.27/kg
- Three Charolais bullocks weighing 447kg sold for €1,140 or €2.55/kg
- Two Limousin bullocks weighing 570kg sold for €1,190 or €2.08/kg
- Hereford bullock weighing 680kg sold for €1,450 or €2.13/kg
- Speckled Park bullock weighing 740kg sold for €1,370 or €1.85/kg
- Friesian bullock weighing 515kg sold for €1,000 or €1.94/kg
- Four Limousin bullocks weighing 514kg sold for €1,260 or €2.45/kg
- Hereford bullock weighing 680kg sold for €1,360 or €2.00/kg
Sample bullock prices:
- Hereford: 792kg – €1,420 or €1.79/kg;
- Friesian: 770kg – €1,440 or €1.87/kg;
- Belted Galloway: 740kg – €1,350 or €1.82/kg;
- Friesian: 665kg – €1,240 or €1.86/kg;
- Charolais: 602kg – €1,370 or €2.27/kg;
- Charolais: 547kg – €1,270 or €2.32/kg;
- Angus: 530kg – €1,120 or €2.11/kg;
- Limousin: 525kg – €1,130 or €2.15kg;
- Limousin: 514kg – €1,260 or €2.45/kg;
- Limousin: 455kg – €1,060 or €2.32/kg.
Heifers
Turning to the heifer trade, the majority of heifers in Kilcullen this week weighed between 500-600kg. The continental stores sold generally from €2.08/kg up to €2.32/kg.
The section of lighter weighing heifers (under 500kg) witnessed mostly continentals pass through the ring – with these females selling at €2.18/kg up to €2.40/kg.
There was a small entry of 12 dairy-bred heifers consisting or Friesian, Jersey and Simmental crosses weighing on average at 300kg that sold for €2.88/kg back to €2.21/kg.
- Charolais heifer weighing 575kg sold for €1,250 or €2.19/kg
- Charolais heifer weighing 510kg sold for €1,060 or €2.07/kg
- Charolais heifer weighing 590kg sold for €1,370 or €2.32/kg
- Charolais heifer weighing 530kg sold for €1,220 or €2.30/kg
- Charolais heifer weighing 565kg sold for €1,240 or €2.19/kg
- Two Charolais heifer weighing 575kg sold for €1,260 or €2.19/kg
Sample heifer prices:
- Charolais: 590kg – €1,370 or €2.32/kg;
- Simmental: 573kg – €1,300 or €2.26/kg;
- Charolais: 540kg – €1,160 or €2.14/kg;
- Charolais: 505kg – €1,070 or €2.11/kg;
- Limousin: 500kg – €1,120 or €2.24/kg;
- Limousin: 465kg – €1,120 or €2.40/kg;
- Limousin: 455kg – €1,060 or €2.32/kg;
- Charolais: 420kg – €940 or €2.23/kg.