Camera at the Mart: summer sale numbers up in Kanturk

Numbers were running a bit higher than usual for the time of year at Kanturk Mart for its weekly cattle sale on Tuesday last.

Trade was steady for 2023-born stock weighing between 350kg and 400kg.

Angus and Hereford heifers and bullocks were mostly selling for between €2.30/kg and €2.50/kg, with good demand for bigger groups when they came in the ring.

There was a bit more bite for heavier cattle, with an extra 10c to 20c/kg going for forward, well-fleshed cattle of the same breeds.

Demand for cows remained firm too, with fleshed suckler cows making from €1.90/kg to €2.10/kg, with Friesians back on this.

Hurling

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Seamus O’Keeffe was in fine form after getting a lift from Cork’s win in the hurling over the weekend.

“The weather isn’t great, but the Cork people have forgotten about the weather this week.

“We’ve had to listen to a lot from Limerick supporters here over the last five years so we had the Banks of My Own Lovely Lee playing when we opened up this morning to welcome our Limerick customers.”

Moving off the pitch and to the ringside, he was equally happy with how things are going.

“We’ve had a great spring. We’re about 1,500 cattle ahead of the same time last year, which we are delighted with.

“June and July have been exceptionally busy this year. I haven’t the answer as to why.

“People are talking about grass being a problem and they’re also talking about silage being down, not in quality but in tonnage, so they’re hoping for a good second cut.

“Compared to last year we’re going to double our July sales the way it’s going and that’s even though we’re only two Tuesdays into the month.”

It was notable too to see a big number of calves.

There were 170 calves on offer, with most of these over three months of age.

Angus- and Hereford-cross calves weighing from 90kg to 130kg were generally making between €270 to €465.

Reared calves

O’Keeffe said: “We’re getting a lot of reared calves from people that were held up with TB or BVD this year.

“There’s a lot of customers for those calves because people were conscious of the price of milk replacer and all that, but all they have to do is leave these out on grass.

“I have never seen as many forward calves here as this year.”

This coming Saturday, there will be a special sale of pedigree Hereford heifers at the north Cork venue.