Monday’s cattle sale in Thurles Mart was a very large one, with just shy of 1,500 cattle, including over 400 calves, entered and over 90% of those sold.

Bullocks weighing from 400kg to 500kg were up 6c/kg, while heavier 500kg to 600kg stores were up 11c/kg, with plainer types driving this trade.

In the heifer ring, prices were back between 5c/kg and 10c/kg on average, with plainer heifers taking the worst hit.

Bullocks

In the 350kg to 400kg weight bracket, bullocks averaged €1.86/kg. Friesians at this weight ranged between €1.40/kg and €1.55/kg.

Dairy-beef breeds, namely Angus and Hereford, started at €1.80/kg and ran to €2.10/kg. Continentals sold for between €2.25/kg and €2.55/kg.

From 400kg to 500kg, bullocks averaged €2.01/kg. Friesians set a floor under the prices, running from €1.60/kg to €1.90/kg, while a small number of dairy beef lots continued up to €2.10/kg. A good offering of continental lots started at €2.10/kg and topped at €2.35/kg.

Moving up the weights, 500kg to 600kg bullocks sold to an average price of €1.94/kg. Friesian cattle ranged from €1.60/kg to a top of €1.80/kg for better-quality lots.

Angus and Hereford lots sold for between €1.90/kg and €2.10/kg. Continentals started at €2.05/kg and topped at €2.30/kg.

Heavy bullocks over 600kg sold for an average price of €1.84/kg, with dairy lots running from €1.70/kg to €1.85/kg and continentals going from €2/kg to €2.10/kg.

Heifers and cows

In the heifer ring, 400kg to 500kg heifers came into an average of €1.91/kg. Dairy-beef-cross heifers started at €1.65/kg and topped at €1.95/kg.

A smaller offering of continentals sold for between €1.95/kg and €2.60/kg, with over €2.10/kg required to secure nice quality.

Forward store heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg sold to an average of €2.08/kg. A small selection of dairy-beef lots started at €1.80/kg and went to €1.95/kg.

A good selection of continental cattle ran between €1.95/kg and €2.45/kg.

Over 70 dry cows were sold. Dairy cows started at €0.60/kg and ran to €1.35/kg for better-fleshed and better-grading types. Dry beef cows started at €1.45/kg and topped at €1.90/kg for factory-fit cows.

Thurles Mart

To the seller, commission rates for bullocks, heifers and cows are €10/head for singles and €9/head for multiples, plus 0.05%. For calves, it's €8/head for a single calf plus 0.05%.

To the buyer, commission is €10/head for bullocks, heifers and cows and €7/head for calves.

Analysis for this report was generated from the MartBids app. MartBids is a collaboration between the Irish Farmers Journal and livestock marts. The app is available for download on iPhone or Android on the App Store or Google Play. With this app, all of the information that is displayed on the mart board is now available on your smartphone, long before the animal enters the sales ring.