IN THE KNOW

Kanturk

Last week’s sale of 1,300 animals included 700 calves, with Hereford and Angus bulls peaking at €350/hd. Shipping-type calves made €3070/hd.

With factories looking for beef and farmers seeking cattle for grass, trade was lively.

Among the factory cows well-fleshed factory Friesians and Herefords mostly made €1.95-2.08/kg, with feeder Friesians reaching €2.18/kg.

The bullocks included four 580kg Limousins at €1,920/ hd, eight 586kg Friesians at €1,410/hd and four 620kg Herefords at €1,600/hd.

Nine 476kg Limousin heifers averaged €1,330/hd, with eight 347kg Angus making €980/hd.

Roscrea

An entry of 500, with stores up around €100/hd on two weeks ago. Trade was strong in all sections, especially heifers: a 655kg Belgian Blue making €2,240, a 635kg Limousin clicked €2,020, while a 635kg Charolais made €2,130.

Demand for quality bullocks took 465-480kg Red Limousins to €1,640-1,660/hd, while six 387kg Friesians averaged €970/hd and 401kg Herefords sold for €1,060/hd.

Carrigallen

An entry of 248 weanlings and 327 calves met strong trade.

Bulls from 200-300kg averaged €3.27/kg, with a 270kg Limousin making €1,170, or €4.33/kg. Bulls from 300400kg averaged €3.23/kg, with the tops beating €4.00/ kg, while 400-500kgs averaged €3.14/kg to a top of €3.75/kg.

The standout price was the €2,380 (€5.35/kg) paid for a 445kg Belgian Blue heifer; the 400-500kgs averaged €3.40/ kg.

Calves included Hereford and Limousin heifers at €620 and €630/kg respectively.

Sixmilebridge

The total entry of 370 included 120 organic-bred animals, which generally made €4.00500/kg.

The purely commercial prices were also tasty, with weanling bulls averaging €3.50/kg to tops of €3.80/kg. Continental bullocks mostly made €3.00-3.10/kg with the better ones €3.30/kg.

Better-quality Hereford and Angus sold for €2.90-3.00/kg.

Mohill

Despite the wet weather on Saturday, turnout was just shy of 200, including 145 bullocks.

Farmers and ‘seven-month men’ were very keen for lighter bullocks to the point that Darragh Barden said some prices were “outrageous”.

Among the stronger prices were 440-470kg Charolais at €1,590-1,650/hd or €3.61-3.51/ kg respectively.

Feeder buying dominated the heavier end and included a 590kg Charolais at €2,000, with 555-625kg Limousins making €1,850-1,980/hd.

There was also a strong trade for cull cows.