Monday’s bullock sale at Carnaross Mart saw strong competition for cattle from both farmers and feedlots, with prices of €2.80/kg on offer for well-fleshed lots of better quality and heavy steers as the trade kept pace with the levels set after Christmas.
Mart manager Padraig McElroy said that the buoyant prices paid for cattle can simply be put down to lower supplies of cattle being offered for sale.
A high of €3.32/kg went to a Charolais bullock at 580kg and on the Angus side, a 645kg steer topped out at €3.22/kg.
Heavier lots passing through ring included a 33-month-old 790kg Limousin-cross bullock selling for €2.95/kg, a 32-month-old 890kg Charolais-cross reaching €2.70/kg and a 780kg Angus-cross making €2.98/kg.
Batches of heavier lots
Angus-cross steers coming up on two years of age were averaging €2.70/kg, while stronger and heavier lots sold in batches and weighing heavier made up to €2.86/kg. Longer keep batches of Angus steers at 346kg made €2.63/kg.
Charolais bullocks of a similar age averaged around €2.80/kg and €2.90/kg was on offer for better-quality continental lots.
Friesian steers of the same age were making €2.15/kg, as €2.25/kg to €2.50/kg was paid for well-on Friesians at 600kg or above.
In excess of €2.60/kg was on offer for strong Hereford-cross bullocks of 550kg to 560kg at 26 months.
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