Factories are still very hungry for dry cows, with a few factory agents very active around the ring in Drumshanbo last Wednesday night.

Better-quality dry cows made from €2.60-€2.90/kg on the night, with fleshed cows in big demand from factory agents.

Larger feeders were also hungry for store cows, with good-quality feeding cows trading from €2.10-€2.30/kg.

There was a smaller number of heifers out than usual but they still met a good trade, with the top 33% hitting €2.76/kg.

This March 2022-born Friesian-cross bull weanling weighed 350kg and sold for €700 (€2/kg).

Heavier bullocks also saw good demand, with an average of €2.90/kg being paid for the top third of bullocks in the 500-600kg bracket and average bullocks trading at €2.61/kg.

Weanlings also met good demand, with the top third of bull weanlings in the 300-400kg bracket hitting €3.05/kg while the average in this weight category came in at €2.90/kg.

This April 2009-born Limousin cow weighed 635kg and sold for €1390 (€2.19/kg).

In the weanling heifer ring lighter heifers met a very good trade, with the top third of heifer weanlings in the 200-300kg bracket hitting €3.26/kg. The top third of heifers in the 300-400kg bracket hit €2.83/kg.

Commenting on the trade, mart manager Eoin Kane said: “ We’ve seen very big numbers of dry cows through the ring here in the last two months.

This May 2010-born Charolais cow weighed 705kg and sold for €1,480 (€2.09/kg).

“Smaller suckler farmers up this part of the country are probably selling a little earlier than other years as they don’t want the hassle of finishing a few cows and when the trade is good they are using that opportunity.

“I think that will mean we will probably see lower numbers of dry cows in the spring which will hopefully help the trade.

This January 2020 born Limousin cow weighed 545kg and sold for €1300 (€2.38/kg).

“We’ve seen a great trade for in-calf heifers, with confidence running high in the suckler end of things at the moment. Lighter weanlings have also met a very good demand with a few exporters putting a floor under that average-quality weanling which has really helped the trade in the last few months.”

A special charity auction was held on the night in aid of the Gavin Glynn foundation. The foundation was set up in 2014 by John and Jayne Glynn, parents of Gavin Glynn who passed away at just four years of age in 2014.

This March 2022-born Charolais heifer weighed 295kg and sold for €720 (€2.44/kg)

The charity helps families with the cost of travelling over seas for specialist cancer treatment.

The auction on the night had several lots of Progressive Genetics semen, lambs, meal and a bull weanling and managed to raise over €27,000 for the charity.

Kane said: “We were delighted to be able to help out in any way we could and we were blown away by the support on the night. Over 1,600 people tuned in online on the night with a lot of the straws being sold to online bidders. I’d like to thank Progressive Genetics who put in a huge effort sourcing the semen for the auction.”

Drumshanbo Mart’s first sale of cattle in 2023 will take place on Friday 6 January at 7pm with three rings in operation.