IN THE KNOW
1 TULLOW
Eric Driver noted that better cattle across all divisions continue to improve. “Granted the lighter bullock is not as good as 2017 but they too have improved especially if their better made,” Eric said. Among the forward 550kg store bullocks, top prices here for Limousin and Charolais ranged from €1,270-1,300/ hd, with Eric quoting black 550kg Limousins as making a top of €1,150/hd. Heavy 700kg Continentals sold from €1,600-1,630/hd. The weanling trade cracked on very well, with farmers and feeders pushing 380-400kg red Limousins into €1,060-1,120/hd.
2 BALLYMAHON
John O’Hanlon reported that his trade remained steady last week with numbers continuing to come, as they had all through the month of October. Weanling heifers sold from €2-2.80/kg, while among the bulls the heavier types were the most sought after. Here 400500kg bulls sold from €2.40-3.00/kg. Sample prices among the bullocks included 650kg Aberdeen Angus at €2.05/kg, two 477kg Charolais at €2.49/kg and a 485kg Charolais at €2.48/kg. A series of recent suckler sales culminates this week with the disposal of an organic herd on Thursday.
3 CASTLEREA
Numbers here also continued strong while prices held steady. Farmers were the main driving force especially in the weanling rings where extra buyers helped strengthen the trade. Sample prices among the bull weanlings saw 295kg Charolais make €3.17/kg, a 350kg Charolais making €3.40/kg, while a 470kg Limousin saw the hammer fall at €2.37/kg. In the heifer ring a 455kg Limousin set the bar at €2.73/kg. The market for dry cows saw the best of the heavyweights make from around the €1.80/kg mark to €2.00/kg.
4 KILKENNY
Another week, another good yard of cattle. George Candler wonders whether some buyers are getting filled. For the moment, however, the better 600kg+ bullocks at a top of €2.40/kg helped underpin a continuing strong trade for better quality across all divisions. Prices for 500-600kg bullocks ranged from €1.60-2.50/kg, with those in the 400-500kg weight division making from €1.50-2.60/kg. Although the top of the market for stores under 400kgs hit €2.60/ kg, balancing this was the fact that dairy type stock continued to perform poorly with some at €1.35/kg, indicating the gulf in class. Beef heifers made from €1.80-2.30/kg, with forward stores making from €1.70-2.35/kg. Light store heifers sold from €1.80-2.70/kg.
5 RAPHOE
A good entry of weanling calves saw prices for both quality bulls and heifers hit the €3/kg mark, although plainer types were a bit tricky. Average prices for bulls ranged from €2.20-3/ kg, with heifers making from €2.20-3.10/ kg. On the cattle side, trade continues to be buoyed by strong demand from both farmers and feeders. While quality always commands a premium, it was noticeable that plainer lots were a better trade. Bullocks sold from €22.70/kg, with heifers making from €2-2.80/kg. Cull cows made from€580-1,640/hd.
6 BLESSINGTON
Beef and forward store bullocks here sold from €500-900/hd over the €1/kg. 500kg+ stores sold from €500-815/hd over the weight. Among the lighter 400-500kg bullocks, prices ranged from €410-685 over the €1/kg, with lighter stores selling from €320-530 over the €1/kg. On the heifer side those over 400kgs sold to a top €545/hd, with lighter lots making from €300-445/hd. Beef and butcher types made from €480-760 over the weight, with beef cows making from €300-620 over the€1/kg. Feeding cows sold from €1/kg to €265/hd over.
7 KILRUSH
A full yard of cattle with a big number of Herefords through the sale. Sample prices from the bullock side included two 392kg Herefords that made €2.18/kg, with five more of equal quality at 421kgs making €2.16/kg, while seven 541kg Hereford fell just shy of the magic €2.00/kg mark coming in at €1.99/kg. Among the heifers were three Herefords at 502kgs who also had to settle at the €1.99/kg mark. Other batches of Hereford heifers from 380-400kgs sold from €1.76-1.80/kg. Prices among the cull cows saw 660-720kg Friesians make from €1.29-1.39/kg, while 735-740kg Limousin and Charolais crosses sold from €1.52-1.63kg.