Camera at the Mart: forward fatstock on fire in Clogher

Clogher Valley livestock producers held their annual fatstock show and sale on Monday evening with a big entry of cattle and sheep entered again this year.

It’s a big tradition in the North of Ireland and most marts hold a special show and sale of fat stock cattle around late November and early December just in time for the Christmas market.

Local butchers come out to support local producers in purchasing animals, with the names of the butchers announced from the rostrum.

These local butchers are very proud of sourcing these top-quality animals and farmers in turn support their business. A sort of circular economy if you like.

Clogher has built up a big name for quality stock under the stewardship of Robert Simpson and Monday night’s sale attracted cattle from all over the north of Ireland.

Well-known fatstock exhibitor JCB Commercials claimed the top prize on the night for his March 2021-born Limousin heifer weighing 650kg and selling for €3,488.

Many of the top-end fatstock cattle sold for €4/kg to €5/kg, with the more commercial forward store and finished animals coming in around €3/kg to €3.50/kg.

Cows were in short supply, but any heavy young cow was making from €3.30/kg to €3.70/kg.

Factory feedlots were also very active for any animal requiring further feeding, with talk of finished cattle supply getting tighter in NI in the next few weeks.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, mart manager Robert Simpson said: “We were delighted with the sale and it’s great to see farmers with top-quality cattle get rewarded for their efforts.”

Repeat customers Yorkshire-based Kitson Butchers purchased 17 animals on the night. Also active on the night were Creighton’s Butchers and a number of local butchers.

A charity auction, which included donations from local farmers, factories and businesses in aid of the Chest, Heart and Stroke Foundation, raised an estimated £15,000 (€17,441) on the night.