Six under-16-month-old bulls were killed on Thursday 8 July from Tullamore Farm - four Charolais and two Salers.

The average liveweight of the six bulls was 698kg.

The average carcase weight of the bulls was 411kg, meaning the six bulls killed out at 59%.

The average grade of this week’s bulls was a U=2= and the average price per kg paid was €4.47/kg.

The average price for the six bulls was €1,839.63.

Table 1 outlines the details of the six bulls.

Shaun was a little disappointed with the fat score of this week’s bulls coming in at a 2=.

These bulls have spent well over 100 days on ad-lib feeding and we would have hoped they would have at least been a 2+.

This Fiston-sired Charolais bull weighed 730kg on Thursday morning at just over 15 months. His carcase weight was 435.1kg (60% kill-out). He graded a U= 2= and was paid out at €4.50/kg. He came in to €1,957.95.

This bull was sired by our Salers stock bull and weighed in at 632kg on Thursday morning. He killed out with a 367.6kg carcase ( 58% kill-out). He graded a U- 2+ and was paid out at €4.44/kg. He came in to €1,632.14.

This bull was killed at 15 months of age. He weighed 680kg on Thursday morning and killed out with a 427kg carcase weight. He had a 63% kill-out. He was paid out at €4.46/kg, coming in to €1,947.58.

This year’s ration had a lower inclusion of maize and this may have affected the fat scores a little.

Five left to kill

This leaves just five bulls left to kill out of this year’s batch and these will be killed in the next two weeks.

A full breakdown of price, including weight analysis, will be printed in the Irish Farmers Journal and published online once the final bulls have been slaughtered.

Grass growth

“The rain at the weekend was very welcome in Tullamore. We were starting to get very dry and really needed the rain to freshen things up,” Shaun said.

Demand has dropped to 31kg/ha, with growth now just over 10kg ahead of demand at 42kg DM/ha/day.

The grazing ground is stocked at 2.21LU/ha. Average farm cover is running just over 900kg DM/ha and some covers are starting to get heavy again.

Looking at the weather forecast, it’s pointing to another pretty dry week next week and Shaun is in two minds whether to take out paddocks for fear they are needed if prolonged dry weather comes back again.

Lamb drafting

Eighteen lambs were drafted last week and they came into €130.71 at an average price of €6.23.

Lambs killed out really well, with a number of lambs killing out at 50% to 51%.

A further 35 lambs were drafted this week, with replacement lambs also being pulled out of the main batch.