Entries in many cattle mart sales are higher than usual for this stage of the year.

Favourable weather conditions in the east of the country in particular, extended the grazing season, with cattle numbers spiking in the last two weeks as opposed to early to mid-October in many previous years.

Cattle are showing the benefits of a good grazing year in the east and this was evident in today’s general cattle sale at Tullow mart.

Manager Eric Driver said the trade was possibly slightly easier than last week, but was still solid. The best demand was for animals ticking all the boxes on quality, age and number of movements – with buyers aiming to hit quality payment scheme (QPS) criteria.

Store bullocks

Good quality R/U grade 2015-born store bullocks weighing 480kg plus sold from €2.15/kg to €2.25/kg. Lesser quality lots sold from €1.90/kg to €2.10/kg, with heifers a similar trend. Friesian bullocks weighing 500kg upwards sold from €1.50/kg to €1.65/kg, with good quality bullocks on offer. Aged bullocks weighing in excess of 600kg that will be over 30 months when finished sold from €1.90/kg for lesser quality types to €2.10/kg.

This good quality 530kg Limousin store bullock was born 23/4/15 and sold for €1,270 (€2.40/kg).

Lighter store bullocks sold from €2.00/kg for average quality lots, to €2.30/kg for the better quality lots, but numbers were small with many stores on offer having good weight for age. Weanling bullocks born in 2016 sold from €2.20/kg to €2.50/kg.

Light heifers were a mixed trade, with R-grading lots selling from €2/kg to €2.20/kg and well-bred continental heifers with good shape and scope to grow into good weights selling to €2.40/kg.

You can scroll through images at the top of the page to see how animals sold on the day performed

Read more

Heifers maintain weekly kill