STUDENTS SHOWCASE CALF PROJECT IDEAS
STUDENTS from Coláiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole and Avondale Community College in Rathdrum were among 28 groups who exhibited their project ideas for the Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition to a panel of judges in Croke Park last week.
Organised by Irish Angus Producer Group, ABP and Kepak, the initiative challenges students to rear a number of Irish Angus Cross calves for 18 months until their slaughter as part of their Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science project.
The five schools who have demonstrated the best understanding of the project will be announced in April and will be presented with their calves at the National Ploughing Championships in September 2018. Sheep sale, March 24
A very good trade which resulted in a complete clearance.
Trade improved again this week with hoggotts making up to €130.
Heavy cast ewes making up to €126/kg, with lighter ewes making up to €90/KG.
Sample prices: Ewe lambs: 31kg €72, 32kg €71, 40kg €100, 45kg €100, 60kg €138; Ram/ Wether lambs: 32kg €80, 35kg €84, 40kg €93, 47kg €108, 52kg €116.
Cattle sale, March 28
A high number of store bullocks available at today’s sale.
Heavier stores making up to €2.60/kg while lighter stores made up to €2.40/kg for the better continental breeds.
Fat cows made up to €1.75/ KG for the continental breeds.
Sample Prices: Charolais 24m 605kg made €1390, Charolais 23m 545kg made €1420, Limousin 23m 551kg made €1380, Simmental 22m 520kg made €1190, Angus 20m 455kg made €1080, Limousin 22m 385kg made €940. Cattle sale, March 29 246 cattle and 90 calves on offer. Good trade for all types, with a lot of customers for store cattle. Sample prices: Store Bullocks over 500kgs €560 to €730 over €/kg, Store Bullocks over 400kgs €400 to €660 over €/ kg, Store Bullocks over 300kgs €320 to €555 over €/kg, Store Heifers over 400kgs €420 to €620 over €/kg, Store Heifers over 300Kgs €360 to €470 over€/ kg, Beef Cows €460 to €710 over €/kg, Store Cows €210 to €450 over €/kg. Sheep sale, March 22 A bigger entry for this sale with 2580 sheep on offer. The first sale of spring lambs saw exceptional demand with quality lots selling between €145 and €155 per head.
Hoggets and cull ewes saw good demand with prices better to last week. Prices: Spring Lambs - 10 Lambs 51kg @ €155, 15 lambs 42kg @ €145, 8 lambs 48kg @ €150, 25 lambs 41 kg @ €143, 18 lambs 39kg @ €141; Hoggets - 16 hoggets 56kg @ €147, 24 hoggets 54kg @ €141.50, 45 hoggets 56kg @ €140, 62 hoggets 51kg @ €137, 58 hoggets 46kg @ €128, 18 hoggets 42kg @ €117, 25 hoggets 49kg @ €136, 28 hoggets 40kg @ €108, 41 hoggets 39kg @ €103, 22 hoggets 37kg @ €95. Heavy Cull Ewes - €125 - €147, Light Cull Ewes - € 60 -€110, In Lamb Ewes - €125 - €140, Ewes and lambs @ foot €135 - €215.
Dairy sale, March 22 100 head on offer saw a strong demand for quality cows and heifers in milk or on the point of calving. Late calving cows and heifers meet a slower demand. Freshly calved heifers and young cows €1250 - € 1780, Springing heifer and young cows €900 - €1420.
Cattle and calf sale, March 24 Biggest sale of the year so far with 1100 cattle and 600 calves on offer. Cattle trade was very strong with a full clearance & good demand for both beef and store cattle – export and feed lot customers saw weanling bulls meeting exceptional demand. Beef and feed bulls €680 - €1100 over, Cont. stone bulls - €580 - €910 over, He / Aa Bulls - €280 - €760 over, Fr Bulls - €280 – €660 over, Weanling Bulls - €380 - €1030 over, Beef Hfrs - €630 - €960 over, Store Hfr - €360 - €780 over, Beef Cont Hfrs - €480 - €850 over, Store Cont Hfrs - €100 - €480 over. Calves – 600 calves saw a full clearance with more farmer customers and improved demand from exports for Fr Bulls.
Story Fr Bull - € 150 - €225, Export Fr Bull - € 70 - € 140, Cont. Bulls - € 225 - € 435, Cont. Hfrs - € 160 – €380, Hd/Aa Bull & Hfrs - €130 - €350.