There was close to a full clearance in Castleisland Mart on Wednesday last for the Co Kerry mart’s annual fatstock show and sale as 841 of the 845 cattle on offer sold.
Top price of €3,940 was paid for the show champion a 810kg Belgian Blue bullock (€4.86/kg).
Traditional beef breed-crosses were generally trading for between €3.90/kg to €4.10/kg across most weight ranges with some exceptional lots exceeding this range.
A pen of 10 Hereford-crosses weighing 440kg and selling for €2,040 (€4.63/kg) were the stand-out lot for Angus and Hereford-crosses.
For continentals €4.10/kg to €4.60/kg was available for heavy cattle with up to and in some cases, in excess of €5/kg was paid for continental-cross stores.
There were 200 cows on offer and fat cows of all breeds were making from €1,800 to €2,400 with a select few suckler cows making more. Parlour cows have begun to emerge too with €1,600 to €1900 going for those with good flesh.
Following the sale, mart manager Neilus McAuliffe said: “I was very happy with how the sale went. Trade was good with some great cattle on offer.
"Beef price in the factories has pulled back a little in the last 10 days or so and for the fat cattle we were back somewhere from €50 to €100 on what they were making before that. The stores seemed to hold though.
"Prices held up for those bullocks and heifers weighing from 400kg to 480kg. There were a few great lots of Limousin heifers that were making €5/kg and they all went for breeding.
"It’s good to see that kind of money for bulling heifers and it shows there’s a bit of confidence there.
"We saw plenty years where beef cattle weren’t making their cost but now farmers are getting great money for fat cattle and putting it back into stores.
"It's been a great year for both cattle prices and grass and while we had a lot of rain in the last week most cattle are still out. I’ve often seen years where they’d be housed a fortnight before the ploughing so it’s good to see them still out.”
This July 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 648kg and sold for €3,800 (€5.86/kg).
This January 2016-born CHarolais-cross cow weighed 884kg and sold for €3,360 (€3.80/kg).
This June 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross bullock weighed 810kg and sold for €3,940 (€4.86/kg).
This January 2022-born Charolais-cross bullock weighed 838kg and sold for €3,610 (€4.31/kg).
This March 2022-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 810kg and sold for €3,540 (€4.37/kg).
is January 2022-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 880kg and sold for €3,600 (€4.09/kg).
This April 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross bullock weighed 742kg and sold for €2,900 (€3.91/kg).
This February 2023-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 810kg and sold for €3,040 (€3.75/kg).
These January 2023-born Limousin-cross bullocks weighed 769kg and sold for €3,230 (€4.20/kg).
This February 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 520kg and sold for €2,820 (€5.42/kg).
These May 2023-born Belgian Bluie-cross bullocks weighed 672kg and sold for €2,570 (€3.82/kg).
This May 2023-born Angus-cross bullock weighed 638kg and sold for €2,500 (€3.92/kg).
This April 2023-born Charolais-cross heifer weighed 674kg and sold for €2,860 (€4.24/kg).
This February 2024-born Hereford-cross heifer weighed 438kg and sold for €1,650 (€3.76/kg).
These September 2022-born Limousin-cross bullocks weighed 724kg and sold for €3,020 (€4.17/kg).
These May 2023-born Limousin-cross heifers weighed 520kg and sold for €2,590 (€4.98/kg)
This August 2018-born Limousin-cross cow weighed 822kg and sold for €2,740 (€3.33/kg).
There was close to a full clearance in Castleisland Mart on Wednesday last for the Co Kerry mart’s annual fatstock show and sale as 841 of the 845 cattle on offer sold.
Top price of €3,940 was paid for the show champion a 810kg Belgian Blue bullock (€4.86/kg).
Traditional beef breed-crosses were generally trading for between €3.90/kg to €4.10/kg across most weight ranges with some exceptional lots exceeding this range.
A pen of 10 Hereford-crosses weighing 440kg and selling for €2,040 (€4.63/kg) were the stand-out lot for Angus and Hereford-crosses.
For continentals €4.10/kg to €4.60/kg was available for heavy cattle with up to and in some cases, in excess of €5/kg was paid for continental-cross stores.
There were 200 cows on offer and fat cows of all breeds were making from €1,800 to €2,400 with a select few suckler cows making more. Parlour cows have begun to emerge too with €1,600 to €1900 going for those with good flesh.
Following the sale, mart manager Neilus McAuliffe said: “I was very happy with how the sale went. Trade was good with some great cattle on offer.
"Beef price in the factories has pulled back a little in the last 10 days or so and for the fat cattle we were back somewhere from €50 to €100 on what they were making before that. The stores seemed to hold though.
"Prices held up for those bullocks and heifers weighing from 400kg to 480kg. There were a few great lots of Limousin heifers that were making €5/kg and they all went for breeding.
"It’s good to see that kind of money for bulling heifers and it shows there’s a bit of confidence there.
"We saw plenty years where beef cattle weren’t making their cost but now farmers are getting great money for fat cattle and putting it back into stores.
"It's been a great year for both cattle prices and grass and while we had a lot of rain in the last week most cattle are still out. I’ve often seen years where they’d be housed a fortnight before the ploughing so it’s good to see them still out.”
This July 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 648kg and sold for €3,800 (€5.86/kg).
This January 2016-born CHarolais-cross cow weighed 884kg and sold for €3,360 (€3.80/kg).
This June 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross bullock weighed 810kg and sold for €3,940 (€4.86/kg).
This January 2022-born Charolais-cross bullock weighed 838kg and sold for €3,610 (€4.31/kg).
This March 2022-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 810kg and sold for €3,540 (€4.37/kg).
is January 2022-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 880kg and sold for €3,600 (€4.09/kg).
This April 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross bullock weighed 742kg and sold for €2,900 (€3.91/kg).
This February 2023-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 810kg and sold for €3,040 (€3.75/kg).
These January 2023-born Limousin-cross bullocks weighed 769kg and sold for €3,230 (€4.20/kg).
This February 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 520kg and sold for €2,820 (€5.42/kg).
These May 2023-born Belgian Bluie-cross bullocks weighed 672kg and sold for €2,570 (€3.82/kg).
This May 2023-born Angus-cross bullock weighed 638kg and sold for €2,500 (€3.92/kg).
This April 2023-born Charolais-cross heifer weighed 674kg and sold for €2,860 (€4.24/kg).
This February 2024-born Hereford-cross heifer weighed 438kg and sold for €1,650 (€3.76/kg).
These September 2022-born Limousin-cross bullocks weighed 724kg and sold for €3,020 (€4.17/kg).
These May 2023-born Limousin-cross heifers weighed 520kg and sold for €2,590 (€4.98/kg)
This August 2018-born Limousin-cross cow weighed 822kg and sold for €2,740 (€3.33/kg).
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