There was an entry of about 400 bullocks, 200 heifers and 50 to 60 cows in today’s general cattle sale in Roscrea Mart, Co Tipperary. The trade was brisk for all classes, from dairy-bred stock to good-quality suckler bred continentals, with buyers also more active for slaughter-fit stock.

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Michael Harte said there was slightly more life in this week’s sale, with winter finishers out in force and aiming to fill orders before throughput falls off significantly.

The upturn in weather and improved growth rates in the second half of September and into October had cattle looking their best, with Michael commenting that many cattle were 40kg to 70kg heavier than normal at this stage of the year.

R and U grade continental bullocks weighing 500kg to 550kg sold from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with some top-quality lots hitting €2.50/kg. Angus and Hereford bullocks weighing 450kg to 520kg sold from €2/kg to €2.15/kg, while Friesian bullocks sold from €1.85/kg to €1.95/kg for good quality O+/R- bullocks back to €1.70/kg for plainer quality lots with more Holstein breeding.

The trade for slaughter-fit cattle was solid, with more competition between factory agents resulting in many lots selling from €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg. The rising demand for beef was also evident in a good trade for overage bullocks, with prices ranging on average from €1.90/kg to €2.05/kg and rising to €2.15/kg for short-keep forward stores.

The heifer trade was very brisk, with good-quality and U grade heifers selling from €2.40/kg to €2.70/kg. Strong competition between finishers saw some heifers weighing 380kg to 420kg rise to €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg. Plainer quality lots or heifers bred from the dairy herd sold from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg.

See some examples below: