Headlines of Friesian bullocks making in excess of €1,600 may be rare, but it is fair to say it is not every day you see the type of stock that achieved that money appear in mart rings either.

Indeed, the bullocks in question would struggle with current factory specifications.

These eight-year-old Friesian bullocks born in April 2011 weighed 1,047kg and sold for €1,650 (€1.58/kg).

While they only had one movement, all were over 30 months, with births ranging from April to July 2011.

At eight years of age, they varied in weight from 980kg to 1,080kg and sold for prices similar to the top end of cull Friesian cows at €1.45/kg to €1.58/kg.

Bullock trade

Despite no evident pick up in factory prices, demand for bullocks remained on par with other years in Bandon Mart.

Dairy stock and plainer beef-cross bullocks were a tougher sell.

Prices for Friesian bullocks may have been about 10c/kg back on other years, but the traditional beef-cross off the dairy herd remained a good seller.

Most yearling stores and forward 2017-born Angus and Hereford stock in excess of 500kg were selling from €1.90/kg to €2.10/kg for both types.

These Hereford bullocks born in April 2017 weighed 473kg and sold for €975 (€2.06/kg).

The plainer-spec bullocks were a tougher sell and saw prices back to about €1.80/kg.

Continentals were thin on the ground and were making similar money to the top end of the traditional crosses on offer.

Sample prices

  • Four Angus, Feb 2017, 521kg - €1,030, €1.98/kg.
  • Five Angus, Feb 2018, 324kg - €730, €2.25/kg.
  • Five Friesian, Feb 2018, 353kg - €580, €1.64/kg.
  • Three Friesian, April 2017, 506kg - €815, €1.61/kg.
  • One Limousin, March 2018, 390kg - €880, €2.26/kg.
  • Eight Hereford, Feb 2018, 303kg - €660, €2.18/kg.
  • Five Hereford, April 2017, 498kg - €990, €1.99/kg.
  • Cows

    Numbers continue to hold steady, with demand for feeder cows holding firm.

    The majority of cows on offer made between €50 and €400 with their weight.

    Calves

    While calf numbers were back on recent weeks they remain high, with 1,380 on offer.

    Calves appear a little older at sale time compared with one month ago, with work load easing off slightly in a lot of yards.

    Friesian bulls for export were selling in the €65 to €130 price bracket, with stronger calves selling for up to €240.

    The traditional beef breed crosses made up a good proportion of the numbers and most prices ranged between €120 and €375 for bull calves, with heifers selling for between €80 and €320.

    Continental numbers mirrored the adult cattle sale with a smaller supply.

    Of these, bulls sold for between €180 to €470 and continental heifer calves made between €160 and €400.

    Read more

    Friesian calf prices strengthen at Tralee Mart

    Beef prices: more bite creeping into trade