Camera at the mart was at last Monday’s weanling sale at Tullamore Mart. Along with the usual entry of weanlings, there was a special sale of calved and in-calf cows and heifers.

Mart manager Antoinette Daly said that there was a large turnout of farmers and demand for all good-quality young cows was strong. She said that older in-calf cows were met with the weakest prices, but sold mainly from €1,100 to €1,300 per head.

Top-quality calved and in-calf heifers sold to a top price of €2,010 for a top-quality heifer with a bull calf at foot. She is a May 2014-born heifer with a large frame and has five stars on the replacement index.

Antoinette said that farmers were most active for better-quality heifers and cows that were four and five stars on the replacement index. The majority of good-quality calved types sold from €1,500 to €1,800 per outfit. Lighter heifers and plainer types were met with fewer bids from farmer buyers.

Weanlings were met with a very strong trade again this week. In general, the trade was driven by farmer buyers for the main supply of bulls and heifers. However, Antoinette added that exporters were in attendance and active for those light bulls suitable for the Turkish market, while there were some feeders sourcing forward bulls also.

Light bulls from 150kg to 250kg sold from €2.40/kg to €2.93/kg, with prices averaging at about €2.60/kg to €2.70/kg for average-quality bulls.

Farmers were particularly active for those from 250kg to 350kg and prices ranged mainly from €2.32/kg to €3.05/kg as a result, with the average 300kg bull making about €2.65/kg. However, plainer types continue to be a slower sell.

Bulls from 350kg to 450kg were a strong trade also and sold mainly from €2.27/kg to €2.57/kg, while forward bulls over 450kg saw strong feeder activity. As a result, prices ranged mainly from €2.22/kg to €2.38/kg for top-quality lots.

The heifer trade saw prices range similar to the equivalent bull. Farmers were again the main buyers. However, according to Antoinette, plainer types of heifers were a little easier than bulls.

Commission rates are €10 to the buyer and €14 to €16 to the seller.