Mart averages for bullocks moved up or down last week by 1-2c/kg, with heifers varying from plus 3c/kg among the over-600kgs to minus 4c/kg for the 350-400kgs.
he general read is of a largely stable trade, with the better-conformation animal improving but poorer quality again under pressure.
The further up the scales you move, quality has less of an impact of demand, with factories and feedlots underpinning the price of everything, including stock that was previously a harder sell.
Elliott Potterton of Delvin mart has noted a constant increase in the numbers of 550-600kg Simmental, Hereford and Angus bullocks out of Friesian cows.
“Last week these types averaged €2.45/kg, with your better 550-600kg Limousin or Charolais making close to €3.00/kg,” he said.
Most telling was the improvement in the price of Hereford cull cows
“They always tended to be a harder sell but currently they are 30-40c/kg stronger than last year,” Elliott said.
George Candler in Kilkenny agreed, adding: “The numbers of heavy cattle are drying up and that’s pushing prices further.”
The factory kill is 400,948 to March 27 — 9pc above the same period last year — but factories and feedlots have been eating into future supplies.
George believes short-sighted EU polices and supermarket greed have also helped remove balance from the marketplace.
“The EU’s cheap food policy handed unbelievable power to the supermarkets,” he said. “Traditional suppliers were constantly being pushed on price to the point where many just gave up.
“What’s left are big operations living off of very small net returns but with very big feed bills. The farmer with the 10 or 20 heavy bullocks feeding is nearly gone and he was always important to the factories in the spring, and important to the marts when it came to buying those lighter stores.”
Michael Harty of Central Auctions has a slightly different take on why the lighter store is such a poor trade.
“The fact grass is not growing has kept a lot of grazing men away and those lighter 350-400kg cattle are missing those men,” he said.
However, the fall-off in suckler numbers and the quality of the breeding on the dairy side is the major factor. Both Michael and George noted that the good 350-400kg suckled animal is in demand, with €3.00/kg relatively common.
Bu George said: “Potential buyers react negatively to stock that are shown on the board as having a Jersey, Jersey cross or Norwegian Red mother.
“It can be the kiss of death, particularly on the calf side.”
Input costs remain a major concern.
When it was pointed out that with cull cows continuing to roar ahead at €1,000-1,200/hd for Friesians, dairy farmers could buy a ton of fertiliser and not impact his milk cheque, Michael Harty replied: “Yes, but he could buy 2t last year when she was only making €800.”
In the know-around the marts
Ballinrobe
A bigger sale and a better trade, although lighter, plainer cattle were a difficult sell.
Prices among the bullocks included quality 470-590kg Limousins at €2.60-3.08/kg, with the top call for Angus being 560kgs at €2.63/kg.
Heifer averages were broadly similar. Trade for weanlings was encourage, with top 275-305kg Charolais selling for €2.90-3.10/kg.
On the weanling heifer side a 338kg Angus made €2.69/kg, with a 415kg Charolais making €2.70 followed by a 345kg Charolais at €2.90/kg.
Top call among the cull cows was €2.31/kg for a 790kg Angus.
Castlerea
There was good demand at Thursday’s sale of heifers, especially for forward store types, with Northern buyers and agents particularly keen.
Top call saw a 520kg Limousin make €1,910. However a 600kg Limousin who saw the hammer at €1,750 followed by a 605kg Charolais at €1,830 and a 565kg Charolais at €1,750 were more typical of prices for the better store to forward store animal.
Among the lighter heifers, a 405kg Charolais sold for €1,190, with a 423kg Limousin making €1,150, while a 415kg Angus made €1,090.
Cows with calves at foot sold from €1,000/unit to €1,900 for a Limousin with a heifer calf at foot.
Skibbereen
The story here was of Friesian bullocks selling from €180-865/hd over the €/kg.
Samples included five at 483kg averaging €1,040/hd, three at 506kgs for €1,100/hd and a single at 635kg for €1,320.
Hereford and Angus bullocks sold for €350-1,025/hd over the weight, with the Anguses including five at 518kg for €1,340/hd followed by two at 467kg for €1,110/hd, while €1,660 bought a 635kg single.
Four Hereford at 523kg made €1,330/hd, with two at 410kgs making €1,010/hd.
Best of the cull cows was a 855kg Belgian Blue at €2,160 with better-fleshed Friesians selling for €1.70-1.90/kg.
Tuam
Last week’s sale was a lively affair all round as farmers, factories and feedlots warmed to the task of spring buying both ringside and online.
On the cull cow side a 680kg Limousin made €2.71/kg, while an 830kg Charolais sold for €2.52/kg followed by a 790kg Limousin at €2.53/kg — or €1,840, €2,090 and €2,000 respectively.
The better forward store bullock from 500-650kg made €2.75-3.02/kg, with good forward heifers €2.80-3.21/kg.
Kanturk
With 1,400 animals on offer there was serious buzz to the trade, both ringside and online.
The bullocks included three 568kg Angus at €1,400/hd with two 545kg Herefords making €1,300/hd, while a 560kg Limousin clocked €1,530.
Among the lighter bullocks nine 330kg Angus averaged €950/hd, with five at 470kg making €1,160/hd, while six 290kg Herefords sold for €870/hd.
Among the forward heifers five 590kg Herefords sold for €1,500/hd, with two 660kg Limousins making €1,700/hd while various Angus selections from 535-570kg sold for €1,340-1,500/hd.
Listowel
A big sale with plenty of demand on all fronts.
Numbers of yearling bullocks were up and some of their prices were under pressure, although Barney O’Connell noted more buyers for those lighter types.
Samples among those younger bullocks included eleven Friesians at 377kg for €720/hd, with eight at 356kg making €570/hd.
Among the lighter Angus, six at 374kg averaged €890/hd, with eight who had been recently squeezed making €730/hd.
Among the heavier store bullocks sixteen 542.5kg Angus sold for €1,480/hd, with four 522kg Angus selling for €1,330/hd, while ten 418kg Charolais made €1,120/hd.
Ballyjamesduff
John Tevlin reported a big sale for the day of the year, with the trade well maintained.
“Anything nice” among the bullocks from 600kg upwards made €2.80-3.00/kg, with fancier lots pushing on further.
Among the factory cattle John noted that Angus types were now selling from the equivalent of factory carcase prices of €5.40-5.60/kg, with northern and southern agents both pushing that trade hard.
Continental and Angus 400-500kg bullocks made €2.60-3.00/kg, while Friesian bullocks sold for €2.10-2.30/kg.