Forward cattle of all classes were in demand at Gortatlea Mart on Friday last for the Co Kerry mart’s weekly sale.

Factory buyers drove trade and the presence of a few extra northern buyers helped pushed things on a bit when it came to heavier stock.

There were a number of standout prices in the cow sale but a few lots of Friesian bullocks weighing from 500kg to 700kg sold for between €2.51/kg to €2.57/kg told a story of just where demand for forward stock is at present.

The top end of prices for Angus and continental-crosses were 20c/kg to 50c/kg ahead of those forward Friesian bullock prices.

When it came to fleshed suckler cows, prices were pretty much the same as those young stock while Forward Friesian cows made from €1.80/kg to €2/kg.

While factory fit or forward stock hit a good vein of demand, concerns around grass growth and availability had an impact on the trade for lighter stock. Bullocks weighing less than 500kg were back about 20c/kg compared to heavier animals.

500kg threshold

Angus heifers less than 500kg were generally making €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg while those over the 500kg threshold made from €2.74/kg to €2.81/kg. That put them on a similar price range to continental heifers the same weight.

Speaking after the sale, mart manager, Maurice Brosnan said: “Cattle prices were in a sticky spot for a while over the last five or six weeks but they seemed to be levelling off again. There seems to be a lot more want for heavy beef and forward cattle.

Supplies are tight for factories and they could be like that for a month or six weeks yet. You’d see it around the ringside as it was well attended by buyers. There were a few extra northern buyers around too and they want those heavy cattle.

That’s helping trade as cattle are making a lot more in the ring than compared to the price a factory would pay a farmer for them.”