Despite the freezing and icy conditions, farmers were out in force at Tipperary Town Mart's final sale of 2022 last Friday, with almost 380 entries of cattle brought forward for sale.

Numbers in Tipperary were up across all classes of cattle all year, with little to no lull in the trade, highlighting the first good year in a number of years.

With feed lots and factory agents standing firm around the ring and online, prices for cows rose as high as €2.69/kg, which was paid for a pedigree Charolais cow born in October 2017 and weighing 705kg.

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Limousin-cross cows fetched from between €2.15/kg and €2.60/kg, while Friesian cows were met with strong demand and were typically achieving €1.75/kg to €2.00/kg.

Local farmers and midlands buyers battled it out for store cattle, with Charolais-cross store females fetching between €2.65/kg and €2.75/kg, while Aberdeen Angus stores typically sold from between €2.64/kg and €2.77/kg.

Limousin stores dominated the weanling female ring, commanding prices of €2.90/kg, while Herefords of the same class generally fetched between €2.35/kg and €2.55/kg.

Good demand

Weanling bulls and store bulls were also met with good demand from feedlot buyers and local farmers, with Limousin-crosses fetching in the region of €2.60/kg to €2.83/kg.

The highest price in this section was paid for a Belgian Blue-cross bull weighing 220kg that sold for €880 (€3.18/kg), with Aberdeen Angus-crosses fetching in the region of €2.45/kg to €2.68/kg.

Stores in the weight range of 400kg to 550kg commanded the highest prices throughout the day, but all classes of cattle appear to be up here, as they were across the country throughout most of 2022.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, auctioneer and mart manager Mark Donovan commented: “It’s been a great year here in Tipperary. Stronger cattle are coming back to the rings and we’ve seen bigger numbers here this year than we have done in a very long time.

"The trade is flying all year and we haven’t really seen any lull, which is really great to see.”

Mark concluded: “We’d like to wish all buyers and sellers a very happy Christmas and we look forward to seeing them all back around the ring again in Tipperary in the new year.”

The first sale of 2023 in Tipperary Town Mart will be held on Friday 6 January.

In pictures

This Belgian Blue-cross heifer, born June 2021 and weighing 425kg, sold for €1,050 (€2.47/kg).

This Charolais-cross heifer, born April 2022 and weighing 320kg, sold for €860 (€2.69/kg).

This Belgian Blue-cross bull weanling, born April 2022 and weighing 220kg, sold for €700 (€3.18/kg).

This group of Charolais-cross heifers, born March and April 2021 and weighing 328kg, sold for €900 (€2.74/kg).

This pedigree Aberdeen Angus heifer, born March 2021 and weighing 470kg, sold for €1,260 (€2.68/kg).

This Hereford-cross, born April 2022 and weighing 285kg, sold for €650 (€2.28/kg).

This Aberdeen Angus-cross heifer, born March 2022 and weighing 245kg, sold for €570 (€2.33/kg).

This pair of Aberdeen Angus-cross heifers, born in April 2020 and weighing 665kg, sold for €1,620 (€2.44/kg).

This pair of Aberdeen Angus-cross heifer calves, born July 2022 and weighing 220kg, sold for €550 (€2.50/kg).

This Belgian Blue-cross heifer, born July 2021 and weighing 475kg, sold for €1,330 (€2.80/kg).

This Limousin-cross heifer, born April 2021 and weighing 490kg, sold for €1,450 (€2.96/kg).

This Limousin-cross heifer, born December 2020 and weighing 630kg, sold for €1,830 (€2.90/kg).