IN THE KNOW
1HEADFORD
Numbers rose again here last week, and while the poorer types dipped as low as €1.08/kg, the trade overall was reported as strong. A 545kg Limousin hit €2.64/kg or €1,440, while the €1,010 paid for a 355kg Limousin translates into €2.85/kg. Top price over the weight on the heifer side went to an 800kg Limousin-cross at €1,630 or €2.04/ kg, with a 325kg Limousin hitting the top price of €2.92/kg. Weanling heifers sold from €1.20-3.14/kg, while bulls made €1.45-3.33/ kg. Cull cows sold for €580-1,520/hd.
2ENNIS
Another big sale saw trade for both 400-450kg bullocks and heifers over 600kg improve, with the cull cow trade also a shade livelier than of late. Among those improving store prices were two 447kg Limousin bullocks that sold for €2.58/kg, while two 475kg Herefords made €1.94/kg might not look overly dear come the spring should factory prices improve. Samples among the heifers included 485-550kg Herefords that made €2.00-2.10/kg, while a 415kg Charolais sold for €2.63/kg.
3MAAM CROSS
Demand for stronger-type heifers drove average prices to €1.90/kg, with the top of the market seeing a 535kg Limousin making €2.40/kg, while bullocks averaged €1.90/kg. On the weanling side bulls averaged €2.54/ kg, but a 296kg April 2018-born Charolais hit €3.48/kg. On the heifer side top bragging rights went to a March 2018-born 342kg Charolais who sold for €3.37/kg.
4BALLA
This was a seriously big sale with the trade strong for “especially for the nice coloured types”. Bullocks from 300-400kg averaged €2.00/kg, with a 390kg Charolais setting the top bar at €2.41/kg. In the 400-500kg section prices averaged €2.23/ kg, with the top set by a 460kg Charolais that sold for €2.74/kg. Over-500kg bullocks averaged €2.21/kg. Heifers under 400kg averaged €2.12/kg, with the top price being €2.69/kg, while those from 400-500kg averaged €2.18/kg. Prices for breeding heifers were strong, with a 460kg Limousincross knocking over €2.78/kg to claim the top bragging rights.
5KILRUSH
There was a strong show of cull cows here with prices for the better Friesians coming in at €1.30-1.61/kg on weights from 475-670kg. Among the bullocks, prices continue to reflect the relationship between conformation, potential and factory prices. Sample prices included two 367kg Herefords at €1.90/kg, followed by a 425kg who clicked €2.12/kg; at the other end of scale were four 617kg Herefords at €1.85/kg, while two 647kg Friesians made €1.58/kg. In between was a 590kg Charolais at €2.13/kg and a 560kg Angus-cross at €1.91/kg.
6BALLINROBE
Sellers could not have asked for better conditions, with fine weather and plenty of buyers ringside; so if your cattle didn’t perform it was no fault of the day. And there were some very good performances. Among the heifers was a 545kg Limousincross at €2.53/kg, a 395kg Angus at €2.75/ kg and a 300kg Belgian Blue at €2.74/ kg. On the bullock side you had five 537kg Charolais who sold for €2.63/kg, with two 545kg Limousins making €2.47/kg , and the hammer falling at €2.42/kg in the case of a 380kg Hereford.
7BALLINAKILL
Trade for the better animal here was described as “sharp”, but a bigger show of plainer stock helped ease their prices. Averages worked out as follows: heavy bullocks sold for €1.90-2.35/kg, with forward stores making €2.00-2.64/kg. Lighter stores sold for €2.15-3.00/kg. Beef heifers made €2.00-2.45/kg with stores selling for €2.102.90/kg. Weanling bulls made €2.00-2.95/ kg, with weanling heifers making 2.10-2.95/ kg. Cull cows prices ranged from €1.20/kg to €1.85/kg.