Cattle prices: larger numbers and weaker demand hits mart trade

Larger numbers combined with less buyers resulted in a more mixed mart trade in the past week. However, at this stage, it is possible that is a short-term issue rather than a long-term trend.

Nathan Tuffy

16 August 2017

Cattle prices: larger numbers and weaker demand hits mart trade

This Charolais bullock, born March 2015 and weighing 690kg, sold for €1,425 (€2.07/kg) at Kilmallock Mart.

In some areas of the country, there have been reports of prices being back by €50 to €70/head. Plainer cattle have been the worst affected, particularly plain Friesian types in the south. Aged steers and heifers have also taken a hit, with buyers paying a lot more attention to age when sourcing cattle.

In some areas of the country, there have been reports of prices being back by €50 to €70/head.

Plainer cattle have been the worst affected, particularly plain Friesian types in the south. Aged steers and heifers have also taken a hit, with buyers paying a lot more attention to age when sourcing cattle.

While the weanling bull trade has held fairly well in special sales, where plainer types are on offer they are being met with a mixed trade.

Light weanling heifers have been a much harder sell in many areas, particularly for light types under 250kg that have poor weight for age.

Feeding cull cows have been met with a weaker trade also and while short-keep and finished types have seen prices ease slightly in line with beef price, the trade for these remains strong in the main due to limited supply of fat cows.

Steers

Forward store bullock prices have eased by about €50 to €60/head on average. U grade slaughter-fit types have seen the lowest price drops, while plainer cattle and overage types have been met with a fall of up to €100/head on two weeks ago. In stronger suckler areas, the price drop has not been as drastic where the quality of cattle on offer is good, but where the quality is poor, average prices are running at about €2.00/kg for average-quality types.

Heifers

Heifers have seen prices ease also. Similar to bullocks, the average 550kg heifer sold for €2.00/kg or €1,100/head. In some suckler-dominated areas, prices averaged €1,200 on average. The top third are currently making from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with U grades making over €1,300/head. Lighter stores have seen prices ease by €40 to €50/head, with the average 450kg heifer selling for €970/head, while Angus and Hereford heifers are selling from €1.85/kg to €2.00/kg. U grades are down by €40 to €60/head.

Weanlings

While weanling prices have eased similar to stores and heavy bullocks, in the main it is plainer types that have borne the brunt of the price drop, with top-quality U grade bulls still making similar prices to what was seen in the last few weeks. Where the quality of calf on offer is poor or where there is more dairy influence, prices have dropped by €30 to €40/head. Light weanling heifers and plain weanling heifers have been the worst hit by an ease in prices.

Strong demand for top-quality weanling bulls and heifers

Cull cows slip but runner calf trade strong

Firm trade once again in Enniskillen

Mart manager comment: Martin Ryan, Thurles Mart

What's on in the marts