Smashing spring show and sale in Cahersiveen.

Iveragh co-operative mart held a very successful spring show and sale of male cattle at their mart in Cahersiveen on Tuesday last. There was a 94% clearance rate of the 374 cattle in south Kerry marts yard with a super trade throughout for all classes of stock.

It was all continentals, with Charolais and Limousin making up the vast majority of the 183 lots of weanlings on offer. Most bulls on offer were between 10 and 12 months of age and in a weight range of between 350kg and 500kg.

The export trade ensured there was a solid floor under the trade, with 120 bulls alone being purchased by one exporter.

For the rest of the weanlings, farmer buyers were very active, with a share going for further feeding and the balance likely to become store bullocks.

Prices between €3/kg to €3.30/kg were the going rate for a good share of the heavier bulls and more was available for lighter ones, along with some exceptional heavy bulls sold for well in excess of €3.50/kg with over €3.75/kg available on occasion.

Trade was in a similar vein for both lighter and forward store bullocks. In general, most bullocks over 500kg were selling for between €3.30/kg to €3.40/kg .

Speaking after the sale, mart manager, Mike Kissane said:

“Overall we were happy enough with the trade. Two-year-old bullocks were exceptional trade for grass, yearlings too, especially the good quality ones. It was the same with the weanlings, they’re not plentiful and people are willing to buy them.

Good cattle have got scarcer, so when that type of weanling with plenty of muscle is in front of buyers and they need them, then they will go out and buy them.

The Iveragh Peninsula might be more accustomed to wet weather than much of the rest of the country but it is proving an extra challenging start to the year there too.

“The rain is serious, we’re more used to it I suppose but you could see people weren’t as anxious to bring cattle home. The good price helped, but silage stocks are getting tighter and it’s hard to get slurry out. There’s likely to be no stock out before April around here.”

Traditionally an event featuring bullocks and heifers, due to demand a decision was made to hold it over two days.

“This was the first year we split the sale. There has been great turnout in recent years at this sale, so it made sense to put the bulls and bullocks on this week. The yearling and two-year-old heifers as well as cows will be sold Tuesday next, 26 March and we’ll be hoping for a similar trade.”