Camera at the Mart: buyers crossing the border to Ballina Mart

The general cattle and sheep sale held on Tuesday 28 September at Mayo-Sligo Mart attracted both quantity and quality of stock, with buyers out in force to secure numbers.

Six-hundred-and-fifty cattle were on offer on Tuesday, with the weanling sales now held on Mondays.

Mart manager Billy Loftus said: “Numbers and throughput continue to hold well, given the high volume of stock sold through the rings over the last two months.

“Stores and forward cattle continue to be a flying trade, with exporters and farmers now competing strongly for cattle with factory and feedlot agents.”

Bullocks

A range of buyers were present around the bullock ring. Northern Ireland customers were active for forward continental and Angus bullocks, with feedlots and factory agents competing for finished cattle.

There was a high presence of farmers back at the ringside looking for stores, having offloaded heavy cattle in recent weeks.

Bullocks weighing 501kg to 600kg sold from €2.10/kg to €3.08/kg at an average of €2.62/kg, while bullocks from 601kg to 700kg sold from €2.15/kg to €3.06/kg at an average of €2.63/kg.

Heavy bullocks weighing from 701kg to 800kg sold from €2.39/kg to €3.16/kg, for an average of €2.80/kg. There was a show of Angus store bullocks which saw prices of €2.10/kg to €2.60/kg being paid.

Heifers

Buyers from Northern Ireland had Scottish customers to compete against for feeding and breeding heifers.

Feedlot agents were present for the forward beef heifers and farmers for lighter stores.

Heifers between 401kg and 500kg sold between €2.12/kg and €3.20/kg, averaging €2.62/kg, while lots weighing from 501kg to 600kg sold from €2.06/kg to €2.92/kg, selling to an average of €2.52/kg. Heavy heifers weighing from 601kg to 700kg sold from €2.32/kg to €2.69/kg, averaging €2.48/kg.

Cull cows

Buyers were active at the cull cow ring, with factory agents very active for fleshed continental types, with top U grade cows going for export to NI.

Cows from 501kg to 600kg sold to an average of €2.04/kg to a top €2.58/kg, while cows from 601kg to 700kg averaged €2.15/kg to a top €2.73/kg.

Heavy cows from 701kg to 850kg averaged €2.28/kg to a top price of €2.80/kg.

Sheep

Numbers continue to be high on the sheep front in Mayo-Sligo Mart, with 2,220 on show on Tuesday.

Factory lambs from 40kg to 47kg sold from €2.58/kg to €2.70/kg.

Cull ewes made from €80 up to €175 for well-fleshed lowland ewes.

A small number of breeding hoggets met with good demand, with hoggets making €125 up to €235.