Watch: dry cows hit €4.43/kg in Elphin

Dry cows continue to increase, with some huge prices being paid for cows in marts around the country over the last few days.

Factory agents are very hungry for slaughter-fit cows, with prices jumping by €200 to €300/head in the last two weeks.

The manufacturing beef trade continues to perform really well. A shortage of good-quality cows in the market has driven the price up, with factory agents being issued with strict instructions this week not to leave any cows behind them such is the demand.

Elphin Mart had over 100 dry cows through the ring in Monday night’s sale.

Top-quality cows all made over the €4/kg mark, with the majority of the well-fleshed cows snapped up by factory buyers for next-day killing.

Top call went to a September 2021-born Limousin cow weighing 880kg and selling for €3,600 (€4.09/kg).

Mart manager Ciaran Lynch said: “We have lads ringing the mart looking for slaughter-fit cattle at the moment. They just can’t get enough.

"We have some super cattle coming to our special sale of 200 heifers and 100 bullocks this Wednesday, with a lot of enquiries from the north of Ireland for forward store cattle."

This June 2020-born cow weighed 735kg and sold for €3,260 (€4.44/kg).

This April 2022-born cow weighed 675kg and sold for €2,860 (€4.24/kg).

This April 2021-born Limousin cow weighed 635kg and sold for €2,680 (€4.22/kg).

This March 2020-born Limousin cow weighed 630kg and sold for €2,600 (€4.13/kg).

This June 2019-born Limousin cow weighed 650kg and sold for €2,680 (€4.12/kg).

This July 2020-born Limousin cow weighed 635kg and sold for €2,600 (€4.09/kg).

This September 2021-born Limousin cow weighed 880kg and sold for €3,600 (€4.09/kg).

This April 2021-born Limousin cow weighed 675kg and sold for €2,760 (€4.09/kg).