Last Monday’s sale at Tralee Mart was the much anticipated Christmas fatstock sale, which attracts buyers from all over the area and sellers from near and far.

The best demand was for well-muscled Belgian Blue bullocks and heifers, with the highest price recorded at €2,700 for the supreme heifer champion. The highest-priced bullock was a Limousin-cross Belgian Blue, born April 2017 and which weighed 850kg. It sold for €2,450.

Mart manager Philip Healy said that the quality of fatstock on offer at the sale was very high and that had a big impact on prices. The trade for better-quality fat bullocks and heifers was similar to last year, which was very positive considering the more difficult beef and live trades seen recently.

Philip added that demand for fat cattle was high, with factory agents, feedlot buyers and some northern buyer activity present also.

While the tops of the special fatstock cattle topped out at €2,700 for heifers and €2,450 for bullocks, the main supply of heavy and well-conformed bullocks and heifers saw prices range mainly from €1,700 to €2,050/head. Other class winners at lighter weights sold mainly from €1,000 to €1,400, with Angus cattle selling at the lower prices and better-quality continentals making the higher prices.

The general heifer trade saw a good entry of Angus, Hereford and some continental heifers on offer. Angus sold mainly from €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg, while continentals sold mainly from €1.90/kg to €2.15/kg.

Along with the general cattle sale, there was a good entry of about 90 cull cows on offer. The majority of these were Friesian types, although there was a share of good-quality continentals also.

Prices for Friesian cull cows were quite good considering the current beef price, with cows holding their own price-wise in recent weeks.

One factor that helped the trade was the quality of cows on offer, as many of the cows were carrying some level of flesh. Cows straight from the parlour were selling mainly from €100 under to €150 over the weight for Friesians, while the majority of continental cull cows carrying flesh sold from €300 to €400 over the weight.

Commission rates are €7.50 to the buyer and 1.5% to the seller.