All weanlings have taken a dip in price around the country’s marts this week and Carnaross was no different on Tuesday night.
While the €2.50/kg barrier was broken wholesale for quality calves over the last few weeks, it wasn’t broken often in Carnaross.
Good-quality Charolais and Limousin bull weanlings around the 300kg mark were readily bought at €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg, a significant drop on previous weeks sales.
Lessor-quality weanlings were even easier bought, with a number of Angus and Hereford weanlings struggling to make over €1.70/kg.
Heavy bulls were also harder to shift, with a number of larger-scale buyers getting serious value on bulls over 550kg.
It’s a gamble, but at €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg, they seem good value and should leave a margin. If anybody is going to get these bulls killed, it is larger operators.
You would also have to question farmers pushing bulls into this weight to hit the weaning ring with them.
Carnaross Mart Weanling Bull ring. Weanling bulls a better trade.These pair of August 2018 born Limousin bull Weanlings weighed 435kg and sold for €870. @farmersjournal @FJBeef pic.twitter.com/Slqt4iEOJJ
— Adam Woods (@ajwwoods) October 16, 2019
Heifers
It was a similar story in the heifer ring, with poorer-quality dairy-cross heifers an especially tough sell.
Spring 2018-born Aberdeen Angus and Hereford heifers around the 430kg mark were being sold for between €620 and €650.
A number of good shapely Limousin heifers around the 300kg mark did manage to get into €800 or €2.60/kg.
This January born plain Aberdeen Angus heifer weighed 320kg and sold for €670. @farmersjournal @FJBeef pic.twitter.com/lJqOeOCReM
— Adam Woods (@ajwwoods) October 15, 2019
Carnaross Mart Heifer Weanlings: Two showy little Limousin calves born in March 2019 weighing 260kg sold at €725. @farmersjournal @FJBeef pic.twitter.com/K9sRMqSMOX
— Adam Woods (@ajwwoods) October 15, 2019
Plainer-quality lighter heifers met with little demand, with Aberdeen Angus and Hereford heifers struggling to get into €1.60/kg to €1.70/kg.
Carnaross Mart Heifer weanling sale: this nice Belgium Blue Jan 2019 born weanling heifer weighing 320kg was knocked down at €770. @farmersjournal @FJBeef pic.twitter.com/pbaoJNADiY
— Adam Woods (@ajwwoods) October 15, 2019
In the suckler ring, there was huge interest in the special sale of 50 Belgian Blue-cross cows for a Co Monaghan farmer.
Cows were a picture to look at and were all in-calf to either AI or a Salers stock bull.
They were all calving between December and March and were knocked down between €1,200 and €1,600.
A number of in-calf heifers made around the €1,500.
Carnaross Mart Suckler sale: Special dispersal sale of Blue and Limousin cross cows for Monaghan farmer. This 2011 born BBx is due in March to the AI Charolais bull Fiston and sold for €1470. @farmersjournal @FJBeef pic.twitter.com/ZaJ1QpH2FQ
— Adam Woods (@ajwwoods) October 15, 2019
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