IN THE KNOW

1GORTATLEA

While top weanlings did very well, the average middle-of-the-road animal made average money. Demand, particularly from feedlot buyers, saw your better Angus bullock hitting €2.00/kg, with continentals from 500-620kg seeing a top of €2.40/ kg, with those feedlot men again the main drivers. Maurice Brosnan rated the cow trade a shade easier, with store cows selling from €/kg to €100/hd with their weight.

2LISTOWEL

Here Angus bullocks sold from €1.80-1.90/kg, with better Herefords also making the same. There was a very large turnout of cows, with 450-550kg store types making €1.50-1.55/kg, and lighter plainer lots averaging from 80c/ kg to €/kg.

3KILKENNY

While George Candler was delighted to see his prices up by €20 -50/hd, the rationale was “hard to fathom”. “Maybe lads now have more fodder than expected or maybe it’s the signs of early grass,” he said. 600kg+ bullocks sold from €1.70 -2.30/kg, with forward stores in the 500 - 600kg division making €1.60 - 2.50/kg. In the 400 -500kg section bullocks averaged €1.40 -2.65 with lighter lots ranging from €1.40 -3.12/kg. Heifer butcher types made €1.80 -2.40/ kg, with for ward store types selling from €1.90 -2.20/kg, while lighter stores made up to €2.55/kg. Fresian cull cows sold from 70c/kg to €1.80/kg.

4RAPHOE

There was another good show of cattle here, with in-spec stock much sought after. Lighter plainer stock and those coming from the dairy side of the house continue to be a difficult trade, however. The better bull over 600kg sold from €570-890/ hd over the €/kg, with beef bullock types making €580-880/hd over their weight. On the store side, store bullocks made €350-740/hd over the €/kg, with store heifers making €300-610/hd with the weight. Beef heifers sold from €480-1,00/ hd over the €/kg, while cull cows made €500-1,660/hd.

5KANTURK

Trade for calves saw Friesian bulls selling from €30-80/hd, with Angus types making up to €300/hd, while Hereford bulls made €220-280/hd. On the weanling side sample prices included a 275kg Angus bull who sold for €500, four 227kg Herefords bulls made €490/ hd, while among the heifers you had two 210kg Friesians at €400/hd, and three 211kg Angus saw €360/hd. On the heifer side three 565kg Simmentals were among the best on the day at €1,105/hd

6HEADFORD

Among the choicer lots were three 595kg Limousin X bullocks who sold for €1,310/hd or €2.20/kg. Those mid-range stores from €400-470kg clicked along nicely, with a 450kg Charolais who sold for €1,120/hd setting the per kg bar at €2.49/kg. The majority of bullocks up and down sold from €2.15-2.35/kg. On the heifer side, the argument for quality saw one 275kg Limousin selling for €710 or €2.58/kg, while later on a 325kg lady struggled into €630 or €1.94/kg.

7CARNEW

Freshly calved heifers and young cows sold from €1,100-1,620/hd with older calved cows making €850-1,410/hd; incalf heifers made €900-1,480/hd, while the more mature in calf cow sold from €770-1,220/hd. Fresian bull calves made €40-160/hd, while continental bulls sold from €210-380/hd.