Prices catch fire at marts nationwide

PRICES caught fire at marts across the country last week.

Here are three sample prices. In Headford a 560kg Limousin bullock sold for €2.62/kg; at Sixmilebridge a 422kg Belgian Blue weanling bull made €1,365 or €3.23/kg, while in Delvin a 430kg Fresian bullock went for €830 or €1.93/kg.

I spoke in this column last week about the price differential between early February last year and the mart returns for the first week of February this year.

The most noticeable difference was in the bullock section up to 600kgs where mart prices this year are down by €80-125/hd. Above 600kgs, that gap had narrowed two weeks ago to just €36/hd.

But a week is a long time in the mart cattle game.

Among the lighter 300399kg steers, mart returns from last week’s sales show that their overall average prices rose 14c/kg to €2.09/ kg leaving them 18c/k behind where they were this time last year. The real meat in the sandwich though is that the bottom quarter bullock in this division rose 28c/kg or €84-112/hd last week, meaning that at an average of €1.61/kg he was 1c/ kg above his average from this week last year.

Overall averages in the 400-499kgs and 500-599kgs bullock sections both rose by 5c/kg overall leaving them just 12c and 21c/kg respectively behind where they were a year ago. Among the poorer quality stock at these weights, the difference from year to year is 9c/ kg in the 400-499kg, while in the 500-599kg section it’s 17c/kg.

The 600kg+ bullock fell back 3c/kg or €18/hd last week leaving him on average at €1.90/kg — a full 20c/ kg or €36/hd behind where he was last year. The reality is that this time last year factories were paying €3.954.00/kg for steer beef not the current €3.75/kg.

For those with cattle to sell, George Candler of Kilkenny Mart has a positive message.

“With numbers at marts remaining small maybe farmers should ease up on animals they are offering the factories and give the ring a chance. They might be pleasantly surprised.”