Kanturk Mart had its largest ever fat stock show and sale on Tuesday, with 150 cattle entered.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Seamus O’Keeffe was delighted with proceedings.
“Prices were unbelievable, they were up about €300 or €400 on other years,” he said.
“Our biggest fat stock before was 120 animals, but this year we had 150 cattle from 32 exhibitors.
“The cattle were a credit to their owners and the judges had a very tough job on their hands, as the standard was unbelievable.”
Packed ringside
The mart was packed and demand was such that in excess of 30 animals sold for over €3/kg.
Well-conformed stock, largely with a bit of Belgian Blue breeding, dominated those top prices, but it was a good day for Angus and Hereford stock at the north Cork venue too.
It was a good reflection of the sale that, including traditional breeds, no animal in the fat stock sold for under €2.50/kg.
Local man Denis O’Connor from Kilbrin had a successful day out, as he took away both supreme and reserve championships with a pair of well-muscled heifers.
A January 2020-born heifer took supreme champion. Weighing 790kg, she sold for €3,400 (€4.30/kg), while the reserve heifer weighed the same but was a year younger and sold for €3,200 (€4.05/kg).
The sale topper was a Charolais cow that weighed 1,005kg and sold for €3,600 (€3.58/kg).
General sale
In the general sale, there was a larger turnout of stock for this time of year.
There was 150 dry cows on offer and well-fleshed cows continued to sell well, while parlour cows were selling from around €1/kg and up.
With only a handful of sales left for the year, Seamus was happy with how 2022 has gone.
“I’ve been here 22 years and we’ve had exceptional numbers this year.
“In the last fortnight, our numbers passed out what we sold in all of 2021.
Ahead of last year
“We’d be hoping to get up to 33,000 animals through the ring before the year is out, which would be about 3,000 ahead of last year.
“We were never under pressure any day, but we had a steady flow of big sales all year.
“Store cattle have been a super trade all year too. We’ve even had some really good square Friesians making around €2/kg, so that’s a good sign of where things are at the moment.”
This cow weighed 965kg and sold for €2,400 (€3.32/kg).
This June 2020-born heifer weighed 681kg and sold for €2,550 (€3.75/kg).
This 21-month-old bullock weighed 650kg and sold for €1,880 (€2.89/kg).
This February 2021-born heifer won reserve champion of the show and sale. She weighed 790kg and sold for €3,200 (€4.05/kg).
This January 2020-born heifer won supreme champion of the show and sale. She weighed 790kg and sold for €3,400 (€4.30/kg).
This May 2020-born heifer weighed 605kg and sold for €2,180 (€3.60/kg).
This March 2021-born animal weighed 530kg and sold for €1,350 (€2.55/kg).
This June 2020-born heifer weighed 560kg and sold for €1,840 (€3.29/kg).
This March 2021-born bullock weighed 795kg and sold for €2,800 (€3.52/kg).
This April 2021-born bullock weighed 735kg and sold for €2,620 (€3.57/kg).
This November 2020-born bullock weighed 760kg and sold for €2,450 (€3.22/kg).
Kanturk Mart had its largest ever fat stock show and sale on Tuesday, with 150 cattle entered.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Seamus O’Keeffe was delighted with proceedings.
“Prices were unbelievable, they were up about €300 or €400 on other years,” he said.
“Our biggest fat stock before was 120 animals, but this year we had 150 cattle from 32 exhibitors.
“The cattle were a credit to their owners and the judges had a very tough job on their hands, as the standard was unbelievable.”
Packed ringside
The mart was packed and demand was such that in excess of 30 animals sold for over €3/kg.
Well-conformed stock, largely with a bit of Belgian Blue breeding, dominated those top prices, but it was a good day for Angus and Hereford stock at the north Cork venue too.
It was a good reflection of the sale that, including traditional breeds, no animal in the fat stock sold for under €2.50/kg.
Local man Denis O’Connor from Kilbrin had a successful day out, as he took away both supreme and reserve championships with a pair of well-muscled heifers.
A January 2020-born heifer took supreme champion. Weighing 790kg, she sold for €3,400 (€4.30/kg), while the reserve heifer weighed the same but was a year younger and sold for €3,200 (€4.05/kg).
The sale topper was a Charolais cow that weighed 1,005kg and sold for €3,600 (€3.58/kg).
General sale
In the general sale, there was a larger turnout of stock for this time of year.
There was 150 dry cows on offer and well-fleshed cows continued to sell well, while parlour cows were selling from around €1/kg and up.
With only a handful of sales left for the year, Seamus was happy with how 2022 has gone.
“I’ve been here 22 years and we’ve had exceptional numbers this year.
“In the last fortnight, our numbers passed out what we sold in all of 2021.
Ahead of last year
“We’d be hoping to get up to 33,000 animals through the ring before the year is out, which would be about 3,000 ahead of last year.
“We were never under pressure any day, but we had a steady flow of big sales all year.
“Store cattle have been a super trade all year too. We’ve even had some really good square Friesians making around €2/kg, so that’s a good sign of where things are at the moment.”
This cow weighed 965kg and sold for €2,400 (€3.32/kg).
This June 2020-born heifer weighed 681kg and sold for €2,550 (€3.75/kg).
This 21-month-old bullock weighed 650kg and sold for €1,880 (€2.89/kg).
This February 2021-born heifer won reserve champion of the show and sale. She weighed 790kg and sold for €3,200 (€4.05/kg).
This January 2020-born heifer won supreme champion of the show and sale. She weighed 790kg and sold for €3,400 (€4.30/kg).
This May 2020-born heifer weighed 605kg and sold for €2,180 (€3.60/kg).
This March 2021-born animal weighed 530kg and sold for €1,350 (€2.55/kg).
This June 2020-born heifer weighed 560kg and sold for €1,840 (€3.29/kg).
This March 2021-born bullock weighed 795kg and sold for €2,800 (€3.52/kg).
This April 2021-born bullock weighed 735kg and sold for €2,620 (€3.57/kg).
This November 2020-born bullock weighed 760kg and sold for €2,450 (€3.22/kg).
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: