Saturday’s sale at Headford Mart saw a good entry of mostly good-quality stock on offer. The trade was quite good for all quality types, but plainer-quality cattle were a little slower to sell than better-quality types.
Heavy bullocks and heifers were met with mixed demand. Again, quality was the main factor affecting prices. Top-quality heavy cattle were quite a good trade considering the current beef price issues, but plainer dairy crosses and traditional breeds were met with much weaker prices than top-quality types.
Bullocks over 500kg sold mainly from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for better-quality types. There was a share of plainer-quality bullocks on offer also that sold from €1.80/kg upwards. Stores from 400kg to 500kg were a slightly stronger trade on a price per kilo basis, with average-quality types selling mainly from €2.05/kg to €2.25/kg. Again, plainer-quality types sold at similar prices on a per kilo basis to heavy bullocks.
This pair of Angus cross heifers born April 2018 and weighing 460kg on average sold for €790 (€1.72/kg).
These three Charolais cross heifers born January to March 2018 and weighing 597kg on average sold for €1,210 each (€2.03/kg).
These four Charolais cross heifers born March 2018 and weighing 618kg sold for €1,290 (€2.09/kg).
These three Angus cross heifers, born April 2017 and weighing 567kg on average sold for €920 each (€1.62/kg).
This Angus cross heifer born April 2018 and weighing 350kg sold for €635 (€1.81/kg).
There were some weanling bulls on offer also. They met quite a strong trade compared to some of the heavier cattle. Bulls from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg for better-quality types, with some bulls making over €2.60/kg. Plainer types still made over the €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg mark. There were some heavy bulls over 400kg and these were a slightly tougher sell, with prices hovering around the €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg mark.
Heifers
Where good-quality heifers were on offer, the trade was quite strong. Prices of heifers over 500kg averaged from €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg. There was a share of very fancy heavy Charolais heifers on offer which sold for up to €1,290/head or €2.08/kg.
Plainer-quality types in the same weight range made from €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg.
This Charolais cross heifer born July 2018 and weighing 485kg sold for €870 (€1.79/kg).
This Charolais cross heifer born June 2018 and weighing 400kg sold for €940 (€2.35/kg).
This Limousin cross heifer born May 2018 and weighing 510kg sold for €1,070 (€2.10/kg).
This Charolais cross heifer born March 2018 and weighing 525kg was bid to €970 but not sold (€1.85/kg).
Store heifers from 400kg to 500kg sold mainly from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for average- to good-quality R and U grade types, while plainer heifers were more variable and sold from €1.70/kg upwards. Weanling heifers from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, with some plain types hard to sell.
Cull cows were firm for three-quarter-fleshed types and the majority made from €300 to €350 over the weight and up to €400 over the weight for top-quality types.
Read more
Watch: heifer hits €4/kg at Cootehill Mart
Ringside Comment: numbers increase as top-quality cattle prices stay steady
What’s on in the marts this week
Saturday’s sale at Headford Mart saw a good entry of mostly good-quality stock on offer. The trade was quite good for all quality types, but plainer-quality cattle were a little slower to sell than better-quality types.
Heavy bullocks and heifers were met with mixed demand. Again, quality was the main factor affecting prices. Top-quality heavy cattle were quite a good trade considering the current beef price issues, but plainer dairy crosses and traditional breeds were met with much weaker prices than top-quality types.
Bullocks over 500kg sold mainly from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for better-quality types. There was a share of plainer-quality bullocks on offer also that sold from €1.80/kg upwards. Stores from 400kg to 500kg were a slightly stronger trade on a price per kilo basis, with average-quality types selling mainly from €2.05/kg to €2.25/kg. Again, plainer-quality types sold at similar prices on a per kilo basis to heavy bullocks.
This pair of Angus cross heifers born April 2018 and weighing 460kg on average sold for €790 (€1.72/kg).
These three Charolais cross heifers born January to March 2018 and weighing 597kg on average sold for €1,210 each (€2.03/kg).
These four Charolais cross heifers born March 2018 and weighing 618kg sold for €1,290 (€2.09/kg).
These three Angus cross heifers, born April 2017 and weighing 567kg on average sold for €920 each (€1.62/kg).
This Angus cross heifer born April 2018 and weighing 350kg sold for €635 (€1.81/kg).
There were some weanling bulls on offer also. They met quite a strong trade compared to some of the heavier cattle. Bulls from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg for better-quality types, with some bulls making over €2.60/kg. Plainer types still made over the €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg mark. There were some heavy bulls over 400kg and these were a slightly tougher sell, with prices hovering around the €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg mark.
Heifers
Where good-quality heifers were on offer, the trade was quite strong. Prices of heifers over 500kg averaged from €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg. There was a share of very fancy heavy Charolais heifers on offer which sold for up to €1,290/head or €2.08/kg.
Plainer-quality types in the same weight range made from €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg.
This Charolais cross heifer born July 2018 and weighing 485kg sold for €870 (€1.79/kg).
This Charolais cross heifer born June 2018 and weighing 400kg sold for €940 (€2.35/kg).
This Limousin cross heifer born May 2018 and weighing 510kg sold for €1,070 (€2.10/kg).
This Charolais cross heifer born March 2018 and weighing 525kg was bid to €970 but not sold (€1.85/kg).
Store heifers from 400kg to 500kg sold mainly from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for average- to good-quality R and U grade types, while plainer heifers were more variable and sold from €1.70/kg upwards. Weanling heifers from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, with some plain types hard to sell.
Cull cows were firm for three-quarter-fleshed types and the majority made from €300 to €350 over the weight and up to €400 over the weight for top-quality types.
Read more
Watch: heifer hits €4/kg at Cootehill Mart
Ringside Comment: numbers increase as top-quality cattle prices stay steady
What’s on in the marts this week
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