Heifers stole the limelight at Gort Mart’s annual show and sale of spring-born Belgian Blue weanlings on Thursday evening.
Mart manager Bernie Fahey reports that live exporters and farmers keen to purchase heifers for showing and breeding show-quality cattle battled it out ringside for what she described as an excellent offering.
The average sale price for heifers traded was recorded shy of €4/kg at €3.90/kg. There were 18 heifers traded for over €4.00/kg, with two heifers, including the first-prizewinning heifer, topping €8/kg. Another 20 heifers sold from €3/kg to €3.99/kg, while in the region of 15 lesser-quality heifers sold from €2.35/kg to €3.00/kg.
There were in the region of 15 Belgian Blue heifers unsold on the night, with many notable prices ranging from €2.75/kg to €3.00/kg in these lots.
Bull prices
Belgian Blue bulls did not match the same high prices as heifers, but good-quality bulls were reported as being a lively trade, with live exporters competing with finishers. The entry of about 80 Blue bulls recorded an average price of €3.30/kg, with Bernie reporting that over 50% of the offering sold for in excess of €3.50/kg.
Over 20 bulls weighing in the main from 400kg to 500kg ranged in price from €1,500 to a top of €1,810/kg. There was a significant differential between prices paid for top- and lesser-quality bulls, with R grading bulls in the 340kg to 420kg bracket selling back to €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg, while U grading bulls exceeded the €3/kg mark and sold from €3.50/kg to €3.80/kg, with a selection including prizewinners hitting €4/kg and slightly higher.
Other breeds
The trade for other breeds was also influenced strongly by breed, with many producers targeting special sales with their best-quality weanlings.
Charolais- and Limousin-cross heifers weighing 300kg to 400kg sold in general from €2.55/kg to €2.85/kg, with some lighter lots and top-quality heifers selling to €3/kg.
Charolais and Limousin bulls averaged close to the €3/kg mark, ranging anywhere from €2.60/kg for plainer-types to €3.30/kg to €3.50/kg for quality bulls.