Both numbers and prices held firm in Ennis mart on Thursday compared to the sale seven days previously.

Auctioneer Matthew McMahon said: “Trade was holding very steady for heifers and bullocks.”

McMahon, who was working the heifer ring for the day, said that “good-quality heifers were making good money, €2.30, €2.40 and even €2.50 per kilo.”

He added: “I didn’t see any male cattle sold but looking around the yard there was plenty of quality there and the report reflects some good prices too.”

Bullocks and bulls

Over 250 bullocks and bulls were sold on the day. Table 1 gives a full breakdown of prices.

Starting with the lightest 350-400kg animals, the sale average was €2.31/kg, up 11c/kg from the week before. In this weight band, the quality animal was in fine demand, with €2.70/kg the going rate.

Dairy stock and plainer continentals were back at under the €2/kg mark but were still up nearly 15c/kg for the week. The standout sale here was a year-old 360kg Charolais bull making €1,060.

The 400-500kg cattle were also up nearly 5c/kg on average to €2.35/kg. Quality was hitting above and beyond the €2.60/kg mark, with plainer lots back down to €2.10/kg. The eye-catching sale in this weight band was €1,160 for a pen of three Limousin cross yearling bulls weighing 430kg.

There was little or no change for the 500-600kg cattle with the sale average being €2.15/kg. Almost €2.40/kg was the going rate for the better types here. Best price per kilo went to a pen of two Limousin cross bulls, averaging 515kg and selling for €1,250.

Heavy cattle were back a bit though, almost 10c/kg. The group averaged a cent under €2/kg with a range of under €1.70/kg to above €2.25/kg for depending on type and condition.

Heifers

With close to 200 heifers sold, Table 2 gives a full breakdown on price.

Lighter, 350-400kg heifers by far in way made the biggest money. €2.28/kg was the sale average with the flashy continental types well capable of making over €2.50/kg. The standout sale was €990 for a year old Charolais cross weighing 380kg.

The 400-500kg heifers were back for the week with and the averaged slipped just under the €2/kg mark. Quality could come into a price of over €2.35/kg but plainer lots took a hit and struggled to make past €1.60/kg. Top price per kilo went to a 15-month-old 450kg Charolais cross which sold for €1,150.

Heavy heifers also dipped a bit but nothing major – €1.75/kg was the average price, with top quality making 45c/kg above this average and plain lots falling 40c/kg below the average.

Dry cows

On the dry cow side, McMahon said that there was a slight drop in the cow trade for the week, but nothing major: “I suppose you could say that despite the trade being back a small bit overall, the good continental cow was still in fine demand.”

Friesian cows started the ball rolling at just under €1.20/kg and ran up to a top price of €1.40/kg for better fleshed types. Per head, this worked out at about €800 up to €1,000. The highest-priced Friesian cow on the day was a 785kg seven-year-old which made €1,170.

Lighter continental cows started at €1.35/kg but heavier, better fleshed animals worked their way up to a top price of €2.10/kg. Noteworthy prices included a five-year-old 690kg Limousin cross cow making €1,440, a five-year-old Charolais cow weighing 860kg making €1,780 and a 12-year-old Limousin cross cow weighing 710kg and making €1,250.

Ennis mart

Commission rates are €9.48 to the buyer with the seller subject to a €2 booking fee plus 1.5% commission up to a maximum of €12.

Ennis mart manager Martin McNamara (Clare Mart Manager) demonstrates the Martbids app to local a local farmer.

Ennis mart holds a general cattle sale of bulls, bullocks, heifers and dry cows on Thursday’s and a weanling, suckler cow and calf sale every Tuesday.

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.