Martbids Database: cattle trade hits new highs

The cattle trade continues to hit new highs this week, with some exceptional prices being paid for cull cows, finished cattle and weanlings in marts.

Factory agents are out in force mopping up anything that looks like it has flesh.

Cull cows were probably the stand-out trade again this week, with as high as €3.20/kg being paid for young well-fleshed continental cows in some marts this week.

There’s a big range, with lighter cows selling from €2.40/kg to €2.80/kg. Friesian cull cows ranged in price this week from €1.30/kg for light parlour cows with no flesh to €2.40/kg for better-fleshed heavy types.

Exporters continue to drive the weanling trade, with huge pressure now on to fill loads before Christmas.

Up to €4.30/kg is being paid by exporters for Belgian Blue bulls in marts this week, with serious competition being seen for top-quality weanlings.

Kilkenny Mart had 640 through its sales rings last Thursday. Auctioneer George Candler said: “We had a somewhat smaller sale of cattle in Kilkenny, with all lots still meeting excellent returns.

“With factory quotes rising and a vibrant export trade, all lots are meeting an excellent trade. Heifers recorded a 100% clearance, with bullocks marginally behind at 99%.

“With a shortage of beef in mainland Europe and the UK, it’s hard to see any significant change in trends.”

Suckler future

While some will argue that the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon isn’t commercial reality - and to be fair it probably isn’t - it has turned the dial a little in terms of positivity towards the suckler sector.

Many of these cattle have been purchased by young people with a genuine interest in livestock breeding and showing and if that interest sparks an interest to follow in their parents’ footsteps and keep suckler cows on their home farm, then that’s good news for the industry.

We have a real problem in encouraging the next generation into suckler farming given the low margins that exist compared with other sectors.

If these systems can run alongside jobs and these young people can see a future living in rural Ireland, we should embrace anything that keeps them involved in farming.

Without the next generation coming through, suckling will die a slow painful death and bring rural Ireland with it in many cases.

It look’s like Fianna Fáil will be the largest political party in the next government and they made election promises of €350 in support being delivered to the suckler cow, along with a €100/head dairy-beef payment.

If we are to stem the exodus from suckler farming, we need to see these supports on the table right away and they most certainly shouldn’t be forgotten about until the run-up to the next general election in five years’ time.

Taking a look at this week’s Martbids analysis, we see that bullocks had another very solid week’s trading, with lighter store bullocks in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket seeing prices improve by 12c to 13c/kg on the previous week.

Store heifers were also a solid trade, with top-quality heifers in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket coming in at €3.33/kg.