Camera at the Mart: beef bonanza a buoyant trade in Tuam

On Monday 6 June, Tuam Co-operative Livestock Mart, Co Galway, held a bank holiday beef bonanza sale, with 360 cattle forward for sale.

This included 140 bullocks and over 100 heifers, as well as 40 dry cows.

Trade was in keeping with the current mood in the beef sector, with excellent prices seen across almost all classes of stock. A clearance rate 91% was recorded on the day.

Speaking to mart manager Marian Devane after the sale, she said that numbers remain strong for the time of year, with strong prices bringing out the numbers.

Bullocks

Heavy and factory-fit bullocks over 600kg were in high demand and averaged an impressive €2.96/kg, with the top third of bullocks in this weight range achieving an average price of €3.14/kg.

Working this back to a beef price equivalent on a 650kg bullock killing out at 54.5%, it translates to a beef price north of €5.75/kg.

In the 500kg to 600kg weight band, the average price paid was €2.82/kg. Even plainer-type cattle were in big demand with Friesian and Hereford and Angus dairy-crosses averaging €2.55/kg.

Plainer types

Moving back in weight, the 400kg to 500kg bullocks had a similar overall average at €2.85/kg, which ranged from €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg for plainer types or bullocks at the lighter end of the weight band.

Those from 350kg to 400kg averaged €2.74/kg. Beef-sired dairy stock traded from €2.25/kg to €2.50/kg for the most part, while suckler-bred stock averaged €3.05/kg and made up to €3.24/kg on a number of occasions.

Heifers

A small entry of heifers over 600kg averaged €2.94/kg, with a top price of €3.03/kg. Heifers from 500kg to 600kg averaged €3.00/kg, ranging from €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg for plainer-type stock up to €3.45/kg to €3.65/kg for some well-conformed continental heifers.

Heifers from 400kg to 500kg averaged €2.90/kg. Within this, a number of Angus- and Hereford-sired dairy-bred stock typically traded around the €2.50/kg to €2.65/kg mark, with heavier lots achieving the higher end of these prices.

Dry cows

Dry cow prices continued their strong performance this week, with an average price of €2.46/kg.

Heavy, well-fleshed cows over 700kg averaged 2.66/kg and topped out at €2.96/kg for a 705kg Limousin cow (€2,090). A small entry of Friesian cows averaged €1.88/kg.