It’s not often you get the opportunity to attend the launch of a new mart, but Cootehill Livestock Mart held its opening sale on Friday 19 March.
The mart was previously under the management of Jimmy and Carmel O'Reilly under the Station Road Mart name, but was closed at the end of 2020.
The new management team of Geoffrey and Steven Drury have taken out a 10-year lease on the mart property and will now run sheep sales on Tuesday evenings, general cattle sales on Wednesdays and a Friday night weanling sale, suckler sale and suckler calf sale.
Weanling sale
Friday night’s weanling sale saw 227 animals go under the hammer, a mixture of weanling heifers and weanling bulls. Trade was brisk on the night, with heifers topping out at €3.14/kg and bulls hitting a top of €2.90/kg.
The general run of bull calves in the 300kg to 400kg bracket was €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg, with the tops hitting €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg.
Poorer-quality dairy-bred weanlings were back at €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with Friesian bull weanlings around the €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg mark and some better types making closer to €2/kg.
Heifer ring
In the heifer ring, it was a similar story, with the best money going for Charolais and Limousin heifers in the 300kg to 400kg bracket.
The general run was €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg, with a couple of top-quality heifers hitting €3/kg and over it.
Grass buyers also seemed to be hungry for lighter heifers, with some heifers in the 200kg to 300kg bracket hitting €700 to €800/head.
We’ve put together a great team here who have put in a huge amount of work
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal after the sale, Cootehill Livestock Mart’s Geoffrey Drury said “It’s a massive relief to have the first sale over us and we’re delighted with how it meant.
"We’ve put together a great team here who have put in a huge amount of work over the past few weeks to get us up and going.
"We’d also like to thank the farmers who brought stock to sell and made purchases on the night.
"We were delighted with the trade, with a number of very good customers on the night."
This March 2020-born Limousin bull calf weighed 295kg and sold for €880 (€2.98/kg).
This June 2020-born Charolais bull calf weighed 310kg and sold for €850 (€2.74/kg).
This March 2020-born Hereford bullock weighed 395kg and sold for €780 (€1.97/kg).
This February 2020-born Hereford-cross bullock weighed 425kg and sold for €800 (€1.88/kg).
This June 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 374kg and was sold for €950 (€2.54/kg).
This April 2020-born Limousin heifer weighed 358kg and sold for €930 (€2.59/kg).
It’s not often you get the opportunity to attend the launch of a new mart, but Cootehill Livestock Mart held its opening sale on Friday 19 March.
The mart was previously under the management of Jimmy and Carmel O'Reilly under the Station Road Mart name, but was closed at the end of 2020.
The new management team of Geoffrey and Steven Drury have taken out a 10-year lease on the mart property and will now run sheep sales on Tuesday evenings, general cattle sales on Wednesdays and a Friday night weanling sale, suckler sale and suckler calf sale.
Weanling sale
Friday night’s weanling sale saw 227 animals go under the hammer, a mixture of weanling heifers and weanling bulls. Trade was brisk on the night, with heifers topping out at €3.14/kg and bulls hitting a top of €2.90/kg.
The general run of bull calves in the 300kg to 400kg bracket was €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg, with the tops hitting €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg.
Poorer-quality dairy-bred weanlings were back at €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with Friesian bull weanlings around the €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg mark and some better types making closer to €2/kg.
Heifer ring
In the heifer ring, it was a similar story, with the best money going for Charolais and Limousin heifers in the 300kg to 400kg bracket.
The general run was €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg, with a couple of top-quality heifers hitting €3/kg and over it.
Grass buyers also seemed to be hungry for lighter heifers, with some heifers in the 200kg to 300kg bracket hitting €700 to €800/head.
We’ve put together a great team here who have put in a huge amount of work
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal after the sale, Cootehill Livestock Mart’s Geoffrey Drury said “It’s a massive relief to have the first sale over us and we’re delighted with how it meant.
"We’ve put together a great team here who have put in a huge amount of work over the past few weeks to get us up and going.
"We’d also like to thank the farmers who brought stock to sell and made purchases on the night.
"We were delighted with the trade, with a number of very good customers on the night."
This March 2020-born Limousin bull calf weighed 295kg and sold for €880 (€2.98/kg).
This June 2020-born Charolais bull calf weighed 310kg and sold for €850 (€2.74/kg).
This March 2020-born Hereford bullock weighed 395kg and sold for €780 (€1.97/kg).
This February 2020-born Hereford-cross bullock weighed 425kg and sold for €800 (€1.88/kg).
This June 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 374kg and was sold for €950 (€2.54/kg).
This April 2020-born Limousin heifer weighed 358kg and sold for €930 (€2.59/kg).
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