There was widespread disruption to a lot of marts in the south of the country this week, with big snowfalls and freezing temperatures leaving treacherous travelling conditions.
This meant a lot of marts rescheduled sales to later in the week, with some now not returning until next week.
Cork Marts also had to reschedule some of its sales, including its sheep sale on Monday, but managed to hold a cattle sale in Corrin Mart just outside Fermoy on Tuesday.
Numbers were small due to the weather stopping a lot of farmers from travelling.
It didn’t stop buyers travelling though, with a very solid trade for the opening sale of 2025.
Factory agents
Factory agents drove the cull cow trade, with well-fleshed Friesian cows in the 600kg to 700kg weight bracket hitting €2/kg and over it for better-quality types.
Top call in the cull cow section went to a February 2020 Friesian-cross cow weighing 690kg and selling for €1,580 or €2.29/kg.
A small number of bullocks and heifers sold, with heifers in the 500kg to 600kg weight bracket all selling above the €3/kg mark. Bullocks were a similar trade, with good farmer interest for store types.
Top price
Top price of the sale went to a pair of March 2023-born Aberdeen Angus dairy-cross bullocks weighing 532kg. They sold for €1,650 each or €3.10/kg.
Not far behind that was an Aberdeen Angus dairy-cross heifer weighing 490kg selling for €1,590 or €3.24/kg.
A pair of February 2023-born Hereford dairy-cross heifers weighing 500kg sold for €1,560 or €3.12/kg.
Corrin Mart manager Sean Leahy said: “Numbers were small, but trade was good for the cattle that were there. We are expecting a bigger sale of cattle next week on foot of a smaller mart this week and farmers having to stay at home with cattle.
Tight numbers
“Numbers are tight though and I can see store cattle and weanlings being a very good trade this spring.
“Exporters are very hungry for stock and when you put that against the usual flurry for stock for grass, it all looks good for the spring trade.
“Factory agents are also very active for cull cows with farmers driving the store trade.”
Corrin Mart holds its sheep sale every Monday at 11am. Its general cattle sale takes place on Tuesdays, which includes dry cows at 10.30am, bullocks at 11.30am, heifers at 1.30pm and calves at 11.30am.
