IN THE KNOW
1DOWRA
The seasonally big entry of stock here met a strong trade as extra buyers made their presence felt. Store bullocks under 500kg sold from €1.70-2.75/kg, with heavier bullocks making €1.60-2.55/kg. The heifer trade saw some cracking prices, with the 300-400kg animal selling from €1.702.90/kg, and those over 400kg averaging €1.50-2.70/kg. The best price of the day in the heifer section went to a 280kg Charolais that clicked at €4.10/kg. Weanling bulls saw those under 300kg making €1.50-3.25/kg with heavier bulls averaging €1.70-2.80/kg. Heavy dry cows sold from €1.70-2.16/kg, with stores making €0.80-1.75/kg.
2NEW ROSS
Stronger cattle led the charge here as a very good trade saw a full clearance. Jim Bush reckoned beef is getting “tighter” with prices ranging from €550/hd over the €1/ kg for plainer Hereford and Angus type bullocks, to €950 with their weight for the better conformation animal. On the store side, light Friesians made €130-290/hd with the €1/kg with heavier types making €300-525/hd with their weight. Beef heifers made €510-900 over their weight, with store heifers making €220-690 over the weight. Beef cows were improved with prices ranging from €350-725 over the €1/ kg, which was up €40-50/hd on the previous week.
3HEADFORD
Trade here was strong for all cattle, with bullocks ranging from €1.69-3.00/kg. Top price over the weight went to a 540kg Charolais at €1,380 or €2.56/kg. In the heifer ring, prices ranged from €1.223.33/kg, with that top price coming for a 330kg Charolais at €1,100. Moving to the weanlings, heifers ranged from €1.82-2.82/ kg, while bulls made €1.08-3.54/kg. Cull cows sold from €830-1,520/hd
4SIXMILEBRIDGE
Sean Ryan noted that factory buyers seemed to be getting fitter. “We had a show and sale of bullocks and I reckon factories are starting to look a bit harder.” Prices for bullocks here averaged €2.16-2.65/kg with one 895kg Charolais making €2,240. Herefords and Anguses made in general from €1.90-2.06/kg. Setting the bar at €2.06/kg were six 614kg Herefords, with four at 578kg falling back to that €1.90/ kg. Sean reckoned that show and sale notwithstanding, that prices across all weights were up €40-50/hd in two weeks. On the weanling side, bulls made €2.172.94/kg — a trade that was also improved.
5ROSCREA
Michael Harty noted a stronger edge to trade in Roscrea’s biggest sale of 2018. “Everything was up, but the biggest lift was for the longer-keep lighter Angus, Friesian and Hereford types. They were up €100 on two weeks ago,” he said. He picked a batch of eight 387kg Angus crosses as being typical. “Two weeks ago they would have made €730-740/hd, yesterday they got €855/hd”. Predicted to hang up as U grades when the time came, three 666kg Charolais went for further feeding at €1,500/hd.
6LISTOWEL
Numbers were big as sample prices on the bullock side included ten 442kg Aberdeen Angus cattle that made €1.72/hd, while a dozen 510.4kg Friesians made €1.56/kg with a further 15 at 572kg making €1.57/kg. A big selection of cull cows saw better types sell from €1.00-1.65/kg, with lesser types making 60c-80c/kg. On the heifer side, Angus types sold from €1.90-1.95/kg, with most Friesian heifers making €1.50-1.60kg.
7CARNEW
Numbers also increased here last week, however trade over all moved very positively. Beef and forward stores sold for €6001,030 with the €1/kg, while continental stores sold from €450-820/hd. Friesian type bullocks made from €50-470 with their weight. Among the heifers, beef types sold from €550-880 with the €1/kg, with stores making €270-760 with the weight. Beef cows made €400-760 over the weight, with store cows making €100 under the €1/ kg to €360 over.