Market for better stock is holding steady despite crisis

Measures advised by the HSE in relation to containing the Covid19 outbreak have not only been taken to heart by all mart management teams across the country, they have in some incidences been added to and strengthened.

Marts such as Listowel and Carnew have appointed members of staff to police social distancing.

In both cases it is women who have been given the job. This is a clear case of giving the job to the right people.

There’s not a cattle man I know who would dare cross a female member of a mart’s staff, be they in administration, the blue card office, the canteen or now with the power to have you evicted.

At other marts auctioneers have exercised their power to stop proceedings if they are concerned that the new social distancing protocols are not being observed.

Kilkenny Mart has condoned off access to the sales ring railings, meaning that those in attendance now sit separated on the banks of individual seats, in what is effectively an amphitheatre facing the auctioneer’s rostrum.

The age profile of many of those in the cattle game has been cruelly exposed, with many older clients staying away from the mart scene, across the country.

This must surely have partly influenced the decision of the Aurivo Marts group to follow the lead taken by three marts in Donegal to suspend trading until the end of the month. Aurivo controls marts at Ballymote in Sligo, Balla in Mayo and Mohill in Leitrim.

Where has all of this left the trade as regards demand and pricing? Not as badly off as you might think.

While most sales last week reported that poorer-quality stock and cull cows were reduced by €50100/hd, the market for better quality has held steady and in some cases actually improved.

‘Mart auctioneers have exercised their power to stop proceedings if social distancing is not observed’

“Trade for the better animal is holding well; however, the plainer animal was back anything from €50-100/hd,” said Eilish Curley of Ballinasloe.

Stephen Hannon of the Aurivo group said: “Your plainer Hereford or Angus-type bullock was back maybe €80/hd, making €1.80-190/ kg, with €2/kg the exception.”

Despite these falls, those buying at marts seem to be of the opinion that should Ireland and the rest of Europe get the Covid situation under control over the next number of months and restrictions on social gatherings ease, demand will resume.