Special suckler sales attract huge interest

Special suckler sales held in the last week attracted excellent farmer demand and keen competition from farmers looking to upgrade their herds.

A special clearance sale at Carrigallen mart in Leitrim on Monday night (pictured above) saw huge farmer demand. In all there was an entry of 95 springing suckler cows, heifers and cows with calves at foot.

Mart manager Helen Kells said that good quality in-calf cows sold from €2,100 to €2,300 on average, while cows with calves at foot mainly sold from €2,200 to €2,500 per lot.

There were 15 purebred registered cows on offer with prices ranging from €3,020 to €5,050.

A similar trend was evident for a clearance sale of cows with calves at foot and in-calf cows at Mountrath mart in Laois on Thursday. Michael Barry reported farmers travelling from as far as Donegal to purchase cows.

The trade for cows with calves at foot ranged from €1,900 to €2,650 per outfit. The general run of mixed age in-calf cows sold from €1,800 to €2,200 with aged in calf cows selling back to €1,450. Over 200 farmers attended a special sale of outwintered heifers in Ennis on Tuesday. Heifers sold mainly from €1,850 to €2,100 per head with a number of exceptional quality heifers selling to €2,500. Lesser quality lots were back to €1,700 per head.

* See Camera at the mart on page 53.