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18 October 2017

Nathan Tuffy on 18 Oct 2017

Good-quality suckler cows in demand

Saturday’s sale at Carnew Mart saw over 1,000 cattle on offer, which is a large sale for the time of year. Mart manager David Quinn said that while numbers were high, the trade was quite strong.

Nathan Tuffy

18 October 2017

This Friesian in-calf cow, born November 2013 and due to calve in June, sold for €650.

This Charolais-cross cow, born November 2014, with a Charolais heifer calf at foot, sold for €1,240.

This Limousin cow, born April 2014 and due to calve in March, sold for €960.

This suckler cow, born October 2013 and due to calve in February, sold for €1,160.

This Limousin cow, born February 2010, with a top-quality April-born Charolais bull at foot, sold for €2,450.

This Belgian Blue-cross cow, born October 2012, with an April-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer at foot, sold for €2,000.

This Belgian Blue cow, born February 2011, with an April born bull calf at foot sold for €2,420.

This Belgian Blue cow, born January 2013, with an April-born Belgian Blue calf at foot sold for €2,400.

This July 2017-born Frieisian maiden heifer sold for €650.

This Friesian maiden heifer, born April 2016, sold for €810.

This Friesian maiden heifer, born May 2016, sold for €840.

This late-calved Friesian cow, born in 2015, in-milk and due to calve in May 2018 sold for €880.

Saturday’s sale at Carnew Mart saw over 1,000 cattle on offer, which is a large sale for the time of year. Mart manager David Quinn said that while numbers were large, the trade was quite strong. Of the 1,000 head entered, there were about 800 cattle on offer.

Saturday’s sale at Carnew Mart saw over 1,000 cattle on offer, which is a large sale for the time of year.

Mart manager David Quinn said that while numbers were large, the trade was quite strong. Of the 1,000 head entered, there were about 800 cattle on offer.

David said that the trade for bullocks was very good, with better-quality types in particular being quite expensive.

Heavy bullocks over 600kg sold from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg, with plainer types and Friesians making from €1.70/kg to €1.85/kg. One 770kg steer made €1,050 over the weight.

Stores were a stronger trade, with good-quality forward types from 500kg to 600kg selling mainly from €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg, with U grades making over €2.30/kg or over €720 along with the weight.

There were plenty of buyers present for lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg. These sold mainly from €500 to €600 along with the weight, with top quality types making from €600 to €700 along with the weight.

Heifers from 500kg to 600kg sold mainly from €500 to €600 along with the weight, with better-quality types making from €600 to €700 over and the very tops making up to €800 over the weight.

Lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg were a good solid trade, with the majority of average-quality types selling from €2.00/kg to €2.10/kg, while the top third sold from €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg.

Plainer types continued to be a hard sell and prices ranged mainly from €1.80/kg upwards.

Saturday’s sale saw a special entry of suckler cows with calves at foot. The quality of cow and calf on offer was very high, according to David, and that was reflected in the prices.

The average of cows with calves at foot was about €2,300, with prices ranging from €1,800 to €2,670.

There were a few dairy lots on offer, but the cows were mostly late-calved ones, calving again in May/June.

Prices for these ranged from €750 to €1,000, but, in general, good-quality dairy cows are selling for €1,300 to €1,600.

Maiden heifers on Saturday last sold from €650 to €850/head.

Commission rates are 1.5% to the seller and €10 to the buyer.