FRIESIAN TYPES AT THIS WEIGHT MAY OFFER THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A FEW QUID NEXT SPRING

THE Ploughing dominated farming affairs last week. Did this year’s Ploughing affect the cattle trade as it has done in the past? In a word, yes. Although marts in the extreme west appeared less affected.

So how much credence do you put in mart averages for a week when numbers appear to be artificially low?

Exactly the same as if the event never happened.

The mart trade is affected by numerous factors — numbers, international trade, factory prices — so we just have to accept that the Ploughing is just another variable.

Overall, the trade for both bullocks and heifers last week — while showing various up and down movements across different weight divisions — could best be described as steady.

We will assess the bullock trade first. The 300-399kg division continued to recover last week, with the overall average gaining 3c/kg. The top quarter animal pushed on 8c/ kg or from €24/hd to €32/hd.

Worryingly, however, the bottom quarter animal here slipped back 2c/kg. I say worryingly because two weeks ago, when the overall average of your 300-399kg bullock bounced 18c/kg or €54-72/ hd, the poorer quality animal in this division rose just 3c/ kg. And last week it gave back 2c/kg of that rise when everything else around it pushed up again.

Looking at the poor quality animals in more detail, Friesians averaged 0.94c/ kg last week or €282-375/hd, Herefords or Angus at €1.29/ kg or €387-515/hd, with your poorer Continental averaging €498-662/hd at €1.66/kg.

Prices in the 400-499kg section rose 2c/kg on average last week to €1.88/ kg, thus building on 5c/kg improvement of two weeks ago.

And while the better animal remained static at €2.39/kg, the poorer animal pushed upwards by 2c/kg to €1.38/kg.

At an average €1.42/kg, you would have to wonder if Friesian types at this weight offer the best opportunity to make a few quid next spring.

At least one man I know is buying those dairy types on the basis that should beef rise, and it will have to do something if winter finishers are going to be tempted into the game for another season, nicely done 500-550kg Friesians would surely also see their price rise in the marts come the spring.

That’s all speculation of course but I know of investments made on worse logic.

Moving up into the 500599kg section, last week prices basically stabilised and in effect did not move with the exception of a 3c/kg gain among the bottom quarter.

The story in the 600kg+ section is not as rosy, with further price pulls at the factory gate and the likelihood of bigger numbers dampening the trade. Overall averages for the 600kg+ bullock were back 4c/kg or €24/hd, with the better animal losing 6c/kg or €36/hd.

On the heifer side, there was a share of up and down about the trade over the last seven days. The Ringside figures do show movement with the lighter 350-399kg heifer performing best by gaining 4c/kg.

The 400-499kg division slipped 4c/kg, with the 500599 heifer rising 1c/kg on average. And just to keep it all nicely balanced, that 1c/ kg gain among the forward heifers was negated by a 1c/kg loss when the overall average of the 600kg+ section is calculated out.