Situated just outside Cahirsiveen, Co Kerry, Iveragh Mart stands as one of the most westerly in all of Ireland.
Nestled between hills and the Atlantic Ocean on the ring of Kerry, the mart attracts a mostly suckler entry of cattle.
This week marked the first day its biweekly sale went online, with a tendering process in place up until now.
Although a small entry for their first sale of 2021, trade proved strong throughout, as online bidders got to grips with the new platform.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Mike Kissane said: “Good cattle were a good trade and light cattle very dear, especially those light continental cattle. I was apprehensive at the start about fully online, but it was very positive.
“It opens marts to people further afield, but, ideally, we’d still like some locals ringside so that we’d have an ideal mix.”
Overall, the sale recorded an exceptional clearance, with all but one of the 67 cattle sold.
Light continentals
As previously highlighted, light continentals proved the strongest trade, peaking at €3.10/kg, which was hit twice.
First at the money was a Limousin-cross weanling bull that weighed 145kg and sold for €450. Matching him at the money was a 210kg Charolais weanling bull that sold for €650.
One of the best-quality lots on offer came in the form of a batch of five weanling Charolais bulls with an average weight of 281kg that sold for €760 each (€2.70/kg).
Top of the weanling heifer lots on offer was a price of €2.55/kg. This was secured by a pen of two Charolais heifers born late last spring and with an average weight of 275kg.
Overall, weanling heifers very rarely dropped below the €2.40/kg mark.
A number of cow and calf lots were on offer, with prices peaking at €1,520 for these.
Securing the top price was a rising eight-year-old Limousin cow back in calf and due in July. She sold alongside her September-born heifer calf, also of Limousin descent. Not many dry cows were offered for sale, but those that were rose to €1.88/kg.
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