Martbids report: Cows average €3/kg at Roscrea fatstock sale

Roscrea Mart’s fatstock show and sale of dry cows on Monday recorded a remarkable trade, with prices relatively as strong and possibly even stronger than Saturday’s vibrant show and sale of heifers.

Over 22% of the entry of in excess of 320 cows sold above the €2,500/head mark, with some exceptional-quality cows on offer.

Headline-setting prices included three Belgian Blue cows and a Charolais-cross cow weighing from 950kg to 1,170kg selling from €4,350 to €4,650.

However, it was arguably lesser-quality cows that most excited vendors for the majority of cows on offer.

For example, the bottom third of cows, according to MartBids analysis, recorded an average price of €2.22/kg, with fleshed Friesian cows selling from €1.90/kg to €2.50/kg and hitting as high as €2.60/kg to €2.70/kg.

Dairy herd

Lesser-quality O grading and R grading traditional-bred and Limousin, Simmental and Belgian Blue-cross cows, many of which were bred from the dairy herd, sold from €2.70/kg to €3/kg, while demand for better-quality continental cows was insatiable.

The top third of cows recorded an average price of €3.59/kg, with good-quality continental cows selling from €3.20/kg to €3.70/kg, while upwards of 20 cows sold from €3.70/kg to €4.77/kg.

Central Auctions manager Michael Harty said the trade was as sharp as he has ever witnessed for the mart’s January fatstock sales.

The trade was such at times that cows were only entering the ring for less than a minute, with lightning bidding activity ringside and online.

Buyers purchasing cows for export to Northern Ireland made their presence felt and competed with great intensity with wholesalers and plants most active in the cow trade.

Fatstock sales

The mart will hold its fatstock sale of weanling bulls on Wednesday 15 January before finishing its January series of shows and sales with bullocks on Friday 17 January.

Some of the highlights of the day and prices paid for the general run of cows can be viewed below.

The show champion cow was this Belgian Blue cow weighing 975kg, born 05/01/2019 and sold for €4,650 (€4.77/kg).

The second-placed cow was also a Belgian Blue cow weighing 965kg, born 27/05/18 and sold for €4,600 (€4.77/kg).

Weighing 1,115kg, this monster of a Belgian Blue cow born 02/02/17 sold for €4,360 (€3.91/kg).

This Blonde D'Aqutaine-cross cow weighing 855kg and born 09/02/16 sold for €3,300 (€3.86/kg).

Weighing 950kg, this Charolais cow born 29/01/16 sold for €3,100 (€3.26/kg).

This 775kg Partenaise cow born 11/07/08 sold for €2,860 (€3.69/kg).

This young Charolais-cross cow born 21/04/20 and weighing 790kg sold for €2,810 (€3.56/kg).

This black Limousin-cross cow weighing 815kg and born 26/04/18 sold for €2,640 (€3.24/kg).

This aged October 2009-born Limousin-cross cow weighing 750kg sold for €2,640 (€3.28/kg).

This Limousin-cross cow weighing 755kg and born 14/02/13 sold for €2,280 (€3.02/kg).

This Limousin-cross cow born 26/11/19 and weighing 705kg sold for €1,980 (€2.81/kg).

This Belgian-Blue cross cow weighing 680kg and born 25/04/14 sold for €1,840 (€2.71/kg).

This batch of four Friesian-cross cows born in 2019 and averaging 648kg sold for €1,660 (€2.56/kg).