Over the past few weeks, the number of breeding cattle sales or specialised breeding heifer sales has increased dramatically.
On the bottom of this page, we see how stock rose as high €9,000 for an in-calf heifer at Martin O’Connor’s annual heifer sale.
On the opposite page, we see the dispersal of the Ardlea herd in Roscrea, which amounted to over 200 cattle, with a number of cow-calf pairings exceeding the €4,000.
However, these are just this week’s featured marts, with many other marts across the country mirroring this positivity for suckler breeding stock.
If we look at Tuam Mart over the weekend, it was also showing these highlights, with a special entry of suckler cows selling as high as €2,700.
A bunch of mainly Limousin-cross cows from suckler-bred cow in the entry saw 24 lots make in excess of €2,000 apiece, with some in-calf heifers reaching over €4/kg.
Overall, Martbids data shows that prices for suckler cows rose by over €160 on the week across all marts.
Trade for cows in marts at the moment is performing a lot stronger than that at factory level. Most quotes for cows at the factory gate are back between 10c to 20c/kg, with most grades all out to make the €3/kg mark.
Cow kill for this time of year remains high, with numbers continuing to increase as more dairy-cross cows are dried off and empties slaughtered.
In most cases, these culls will make more money going through the mart, as big buyers and factory agents are securing higher killing prices.
This is particularly evident with unfit cattle which may need feeding, as unfit cattle draw increased deductions.
Weanlings
Numbers of weanlings across the country are starting to ease back, but prices are holding firm.
Heavy weanling heifers took the biggest hit on the week, but this weight bracket continues to carry a very small data pool.
Heifers weighing between 200kg and 300kg continue to be the most popular, with prices averaging a healthy €2.36/kg. While back slightly on the week, if we look at the better-quality lot, demand is higher, up 7c/kg on the previous week to settle at €2.81/kg.
Moving up to the 300kg to 400kg bracket, we see a very minor increase, with better-quality lots exceeding an average of €2.50/kg.
In the bull weanlings, numbers increased slightly for animals weighing in excess of 400kg, with price also reflecting a positive demand.
The majority of bull weanlings again came from the 300kg to 400kg bracket and prices for these eased slightly on the week, resting at €2.28/kg. Even the lesser-quality weanling coming into this weight averaged at just shy of €2/kg.
Lighter specialised heavy-muscled bull weanlings dropped back by 3c/kg to average €2.81/kg.
Stores
Numbers of fit cattle offered for sale in marts has dropped back, particularly with heifers.
This reduced supply has meant that factory agents have been very active, resulting in the average price for heifers 600kg-plus rising by 36c/kg on the week.
The average price still remains below €2/kg, so is more in line with prices reported in early October. Better-quality fit heifers rose by 7c/kg on the week to settle at €2.20/kg.
Fit steers also rose on the week, although only by 4c/kg to settle at €1.99/kg.
As numbers of fit cattle get scarce on the ground, agents and buyers may look at buying short-keep cattle in a bid to keep the production line moving, but, as of yet, these stock have seen no significant change.
Read more
Beef trends: frustration mounting with beef price stall
Beef management: five tips for farm safety during winter
Thrive: what is the best way to measure my cattle’s performance?
Over the past few weeks, the number of breeding cattle sales or specialised breeding heifer sales has increased dramatically.
On the bottom of this page, we see how stock rose as high €9,000 for an in-calf heifer at Martin O’Connor’s annual heifer sale.
On the opposite page, we see the dispersal of the Ardlea herd in Roscrea, which amounted to over 200 cattle, with a number of cow-calf pairings exceeding the €4,000.
However, these are just this week’s featured marts, with many other marts across the country mirroring this positivity for suckler breeding stock.
If we look at Tuam Mart over the weekend, it was also showing these highlights, with a special entry of suckler cows selling as high as €2,700.
A bunch of mainly Limousin-cross cows from suckler-bred cow in the entry saw 24 lots make in excess of €2,000 apiece, with some in-calf heifers reaching over €4/kg.
Overall, Martbids data shows that prices for suckler cows rose by over €160 on the week across all marts.
Trade for cows in marts at the moment is performing a lot stronger than that at factory level. Most quotes for cows at the factory gate are back between 10c to 20c/kg, with most grades all out to make the €3/kg mark.
Cow kill for this time of year remains high, with numbers continuing to increase as more dairy-cross cows are dried off and empties slaughtered.
In most cases, these culls will make more money going through the mart, as big buyers and factory agents are securing higher killing prices.
This is particularly evident with unfit cattle which may need feeding, as unfit cattle draw increased deductions.
Weanlings
Numbers of weanlings across the country are starting to ease back, but prices are holding firm.
Heavy weanling heifers took the biggest hit on the week, but this weight bracket continues to carry a very small data pool.
Heifers weighing between 200kg and 300kg continue to be the most popular, with prices averaging a healthy €2.36/kg. While back slightly on the week, if we look at the better-quality lot, demand is higher, up 7c/kg on the previous week to settle at €2.81/kg.
Moving up to the 300kg to 400kg bracket, we see a very minor increase, with better-quality lots exceeding an average of €2.50/kg.
In the bull weanlings, numbers increased slightly for animals weighing in excess of 400kg, with price also reflecting a positive demand.
The majority of bull weanlings again came from the 300kg to 400kg bracket and prices for these eased slightly on the week, resting at €2.28/kg. Even the lesser-quality weanling coming into this weight averaged at just shy of €2/kg.
Lighter specialised heavy-muscled bull weanlings dropped back by 3c/kg to average €2.81/kg.
Stores
Numbers of fit cattle offered for sale in marts has dropped back, particularly with heifers.
This reduced supply has meant that factory agents have been very active, resulting in the average price for heifers 600kg-plus rising by 36c/kg on the week.
The average price still remains below €2/kg, so is more in line with prices reported in early October. Better-quality fit heifers rose by 7c/kg on the week to settle at €2.20/kg.
Fit steers also rose on the week, although only by 4c/kg to settle at €1.99/kg.
As numbers of fit cattle get scarce on the ground, agents and buyers may look at buying short-keep cattle in a bid to keep the production line moving, but, as of yet, these stock have seen no significant change.
Read more
Beef trends: frustration mounting with beef price stall
Beef management: five tips for farm safety during winter
Thrive: what is the best way to measure my cattle’s performance?
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