With much improved grass growth in the west, today’s sale in Balla Mart was much larger than previous weeks, with sellers now looking at testing the market with cattle.
In total, there were over 900 cattle and cows booked in for today’s sale, a vast increase on two weeks ago. The trade for heavy bullocks was quite strong, with buyers and agents actively snapping up any short-keep or heavy bullocks.
This 570kg Charolais cross bullock, born March 2017, sold for €1,400(€2.46/kg).
The best-quality types over 600kg sold easily from €750 to €800 along with the weight. All bullocks over 500kg to 520kg were a fairly good trade with plenty of buyers for them.
This 405kg Belgian blue cross bullock, born May 2017, sold for €935 (€2.31/kg).
One point to note was that any overage cattle or bullocks that had poor weight for age and would struggle to slaughter under 30 months were met with much weaker demand than in-spec stock, with prices of these running €100 to €200/head behind the equivalent in-spec bullock.
Store bullocks from 400kg to 500kg were a steady trade where the quality on offer was good, but plain stores were a harder sell with some plain types going unsold. The average 450kg steer sold from €900 to €1,100.
This 485kg Charolais cross heifer, born March 2017, sold for €1,140 (€2.35/kg).
The heifer trade was quite strong where heavier heifers were on offer. Better-quality types over 500kg sold from €1,200 to €1,400/head. Those just under the 500kg mark sold mainly from €1,100 to €1,200 for average-quality U grades.
This 295kg Angus cross heifer, born October 2017, was bid to €600 (€2.03/kg) but not sold.
Light plain heifers like plain bullocks were a slightly more difficult trade, with light dairy cross weanling heifers a very hard sell with prices of €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg offered for them. Plainer continental light heifers are still making €650 to €750/head.
The weanling trade was quite strong for both heavier bulls and better quality 300kg to 400kg types. Heavy types with good conformation and suitable for further feeding sold from €1,100 to €1,250 mainly with good demand, but plain heavy bulls that were aged were a difficult trade.
Lighter weanling bulls from 300kg to 400kg were a good trade where the quality on offer was good.
Better quality bulls sold from €800 to €950/head while average quality to plainer quality types were a little more mixed and sold from €700 to €800/head.
This 390kg Charolais cross bullock, born August 2017, sold for €1,005 (€2.58/kg).
With much improved grass growth in the west, today’s sale in Balla Mart was much larger than previous weeks, with sellers now looking at testing the market with cattle.
In total, there were over 900 cattle and cows booked in for today’s sale, a vast increase on two weeks ago. The trade for heavy bullocks was quite strong, with buyers and agents actively snapping up any short-keep or heavy bullocks.
This 570kg Charolais cross bullock, born March 2017, sold for €1,400(€2.46/kg).
The best-quality types over 600kg sold easily from €750 to €800 along with the weight. All bullocks over 500kg to 520kg were a fairly good trade with plenty of buyers for them.
This 405kg Belgian blue cross bullock, born May 2017, sold for €935 (€2.31/kg).
One point to note was that any overage cattle or bullocks that had poor weight for age and would struggle to slaughter under 30 months were met with much weaker demand than in-spec stock, with prices of these running €100 to €200/head behind the equivalent in-spec bullock.
Store bullocks from 400kg to 500kg were a steady trade where the quality on offer was good, but plain stores were a harder sell with some plain types going unsold. The average 450kg steer sold from €900 to €1,100.
This 485kg Charolais cross heifer, born March 2017, sold for €1,140 (€2.35/kg).
The heifer trade was quite strong where heavier heifers were on offer. Better-quality types over 500kg sold from €1,200 to €1,400/head. Those just under the 500kg mark sold mainly from €1,100 to €1,200 for average-quality U grades.
This 295kg Angus cross heifer, born October 2017, was bid to €600 (€2.03/kg) but not sold.
Light plain heifers like plain bullocks were a slightly more difficult trade, with light dairy cross weanling heifers a very hard sell with prices of €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg offered for them. Plainer continental light heifers are still making €650 to €750/head.
The weanling trade was quite strong for both heavier bulls and better quality 300kg to 400kg types. Heavy types with good conformation and suitable for further feeding sold from €1,100 to €1,250 mainly with good demand, but plain heavy bulls that were aged were a difficult trade.
Lighter weanling bulls from 300kg to 400kg were a good trade where the quality on offer was good.
Better quality bulls sold from €800 to €950/head while average quality to plainer quality types were a little more mixed and sold from €700 to €800/head.
This 390kg Charolais cross bullock, born August 2017, sold for €1,005 (€2.58/kg).
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: