Ballyjamesduff Mart in Co Cavan recorded a brisk trade across forward store, store and weanling cattle on Tuesday.
Manager John Tevlin said the trade has exceeded expectations in recent weeks.
This May-2019 born Charolais-cross heifer weighing 400kg sold for €1,040 (€2.60/kg).
Prices are running well ahead of the beef trade and buyers sourcing cattle for grass-based systems and for longer-term finishing are especially active for good-quality continental cattle.
This 545kg Angus-cross heifer born March 2018 sold for €1,170 (€2.15/kg).
The strongest demand was for 2019-born heifers and bullocks. Nice-quality R+ and U grading cattle weighing 400kg to 480kg that still had scope to achieve a good thrive off grass and slaughter at the desired factory specifications averaged from €2.30/kg to €2.60/kg.
This fleshed Hereford-cross heifer born February 2018 and weighing 545kg sold for €1,000 (€1.83/kg).
Similar-weight R grading cattle carrying a heavier cover of flesh and having less scope to achieve cheap weight gain sold back to €2.05/kg to €2.15/kg.
Small numbers of Angus and Hereford cattle sold from €1.85/kg to €2.05/kg for stores weighing 360kg to 420kg.
This 480kg Charolais-cross heifer, born January 2019 and weighing 480kg, sold for €990 (€2.06/kg).
Heavier 2018-born continental forward stores weighing 530kg to 550kg upwards sold on average from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg for lots capable of finishing less than 30 months of age and ticking all the boxes on specification.
The best-quality lots in this category pushed prices to €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg, while Angus and Hereford lots bred from the dairy herd traded from €1.80/kg to €2.00/kg.
This Limousin heifer, born April 2019 and weighing 440kg, sold for €1,180 (€2.68/kg).
The weanling bull and heifer trade was also described as vibrant. There were plenty of farmer buyers in the market for summer- and autumn-born male cattle presented as bullocks, while bull-beef finishers and exporters were active for good-quality bulls.
Farmers looking to source heifers with breeding potential added competition into the heifer trade.
This 430kg Charolais-cross heifer, born August 2019 and weighing 430kg, sold for €1,030 (€2.40/kg).
This witnessed the top prices for weanlings and yearlings weighing 280kg to 370kg averaging in the region of €2.70/kg to €3.00/kg, with a select number of lots (such as the Limousin heifer pictured) exceeding €3/kg. R grading lots sold from €2.30/kg to €2.60/kg on average, with lesser-quality lots back to €2/kg.
This Charolais-cross heifer, born August 2018 and weighing 610kg, sold for €1,290 (€2.11/kg).
Wednesday’s sale for dry cows and calves was also brisk, with prices largely unchanged despite factory pressure on cows, and was helped by strong demand from northern buyers.
This Limousin-cross heifer, born June 2019 and weighing 295kg, sold for €960 (€3.25/kg).
This top-quality Limousin-cross heifer, born March 2019 and weighing 360kg, sold for €1,070 (€2.97/kg).
This Limousin-cross heifer, weighing 570kg and born February 2018, sold for €1,130 (€1.98/kg).
This Angus heifer, born March 2018 and weighing 575kg, sold for €870 (€1.51/kg).
This Charolais-cross heifer weighing 430kg sold for €900 (€2.09/kg).
Ballyjamesduff Mart in Co Cavan recorded a brisk trade across forward store, store and weanling cattle on Tuesday.
Manager John Tevlin said the trade has exceeded expectations in recent weeks.
This May-2019 born Charolais-cross heifer weighing 400kg sold for €1,040 (€2.60/kg).
Prices are running well ahead of the beef trade and buyers sourcing cattle for grass-based systems and for longer-term finishing are especially active for good-quality continental cattle.
This 545kg Angus-cross heifer born March 2018 sold for €1,170 (€2.15/kg).
The strongest demand was for 2019-born heifers and bullocks. Nice-quality R+ and U grading cattle weighing 400kg to 480kg that still had scope to achieve a good thrive off grass and slaughter at the desired factory specifications averaged from €2.30/kg to €2.60/kg.
This fleshed Hereford-cross heifer born February 2018 and weighing 545kg sold for €1,000 (€1.83/kg).
Similar-weight R grading cattle carrying a heavier cover of flesh and having less scope to achieve cheap weight gain sold back to €2.05/kg to €2.15/kg.
Small numbers of Angus and Hereford cattle sold from €1.85/kg to €2.05/kg for stores weighing 360kg to 420kg.
This 480kg Charolais-cross heifer, born January 2019 and weighing 480kg, sold for €990 (€2.06/kg).
Heavier 2018-born continental forward stores weighing 530kg to 550kg upwards sold on average from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg for lots capable of finishing less than 30 months of age and ticking all the boxes on specification.
The best-quality lots in this category pushed prices to €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg, while Angus and Hereford lots bred from the dairy herd traded from €1.80/kg to €2.00/kg.
This Limousin heifer, born April 2019 and weighing 440kg, sold for €1,180 (€2.68/kg).
The weanling bull and heifer trade was also described as vibrant. There were plenty of farmer buyers in the market for summer- and autumn-born male cattle presented as bullocks, while bull-beef finishers and exporters were active for good-quality bulls.
Farmers looking to source heifers with breeding potential added competition into the heifer trade.
This 430kg Charolais-cross heifer, born August 2019 and weighing 430kg, sold for €1,030 (€2.40/kg).
This witnessed the top prices for weanlings and yearlings weighing 280kg to 370kg averaging in the region of €2.70/kg to €3.00/kg, with a select number of lots (such as the Limousin heifer pictured) exceeding €3/kg. R grading lots sold from €2.30/kg to €2.60/kg on average, with lesser-quality lots back to €2/kg.
This Charolais-cross heifer, born August 2018 and weighing 610kg, sold for €1,290 (€2.11/kg).
Wednesday’s sale for dry cows and calves was also brisk, with prices largely unchanged despite factory pressure on cows, and was helped by strong demand from northern buyers.
This Limousin-cross heifer, born June 2019 and weighing 295kg, sold for €960 (€3.25/kg).
This top-quality Limousin-cross heifer, born March 2019 and weighing 360kg, sold for €1,070 (€2.97/kg).
This Limousin-cross heifer, weighing 570kg and born February 2018, sold for €1,130 (€1.98/kg).
This Angus heifer, born March 2018 and weighing 575kg, sold for €870 (€1.51/kg).
This Charolais-cross heifer weighing 430kg sold for €900 (€2.09/kg).
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