There were just under 600 lots of cattle sold at the general sale in Kilkenny Mart on Thursday. Lighter store bullocks and heavier heifers showed strong price rises from the week prior.

Lot 203: this pair of Charolais X bullocks, born March 2018 and weighing 495kg sold for €1,190 (€2.40/kg).

Speaking to mart manager Michael Lynch after the sale, he said: “Numbers are a little bit behind this time last year but that is largely down to the fact numbers were very high 12 months ago coming off the back of the drought.”

Lot 12 : this Charolais X heifer, born December 2018 and weighing 403kg sold for €850 (€2.11/kg).

He added: “This year, we have seen a more constant flow of cattle as opposed to highs and lows at different times of the year.”

On prices, Lynch said that “considering where the beef thing is at the minute, prices are holding fairly well".

"Most of the farmers that are selling seem to be fairly satisfied and I think they understand that the people buying are in a very difficult position too," he added.

The view of the bull ring at Kilkenny Mart on Thursday.

Bullocks

Lighter store bullocks, ranging from 350-400kg sold for an average price of €2/kg. That was a strong 30c/kg jump from the week prior. Best quality in this weight band could secure €2.40/kg.

Lot 205T: this Limousin X bullock, born April 2018 and weighing 345kg sold for €820 (€2.38/kg).

Lot 195: this Limousin X bullock, born June 2018 and weighing 480kg sold for €1,110 (€2.31/kg).
Lot 208B: this Charolais X bull, born August 2017 and weighing 595kg sold for €1,150 (€1.93/kg).

From 400-500kg, the sale average was €1.88/kg with the top animals on quality regularly making north of €2.20/kg.

Lot 203A: this pair of Charolais X bullocks, born March 2018 and weighing 565kg sold for €1,250 (€2.21/kg).

Lot 203C: this Charolais X bullock, born March 2018 and weighing 655kg sold for €1,250 (€1.91/kg).

Stores in the 500-600kg bracket were unchanged from last week. The average was €1.91/kg but once again, buyers needed to go to €2.20/kg to secure the better-quality animal.

Heavy stores, over 600kg averaged €1.75/kg.

Lot 208A: this Simmental X bullock, born March 2017 and weighing 625kg sold for €1,000 (€1.60/kg).

Heifer

Next door in the heifer ring, light weanling heifers from 350-400kg averaged €1.85/kg. Better-quality lots made €2.20/kg and upward.

Lot 209E: this Limousin X bullock, born March 2018 and weighing 450kg sold for €930 (€2.07/kg).

Lot 14T: this Limousin X heifer, born December 2017 and weighing 575kg sold for €1,200 (€2.09/kg).

From 400-500kg, the best types secured €2.15/kg and over while the average animal went for €1.85/kg.

Lot 15B: this Limousin X heifer, born December 2017 and weighing 400kg sold for €900 (€2.25/kg).

Lot 9: five Limousin X heifers, born February/March 2018 and averaging 417kg sold for €790/head (€1.89/kg).

Forward store heifers weighing over 500kg averaged a strong price of €1.90/kg. That’s 15c/kg more than the average one week ago. Well-conditioned R+ and U grading heifers made €2.10/kg.

Lot 12A: three Charolais X heifers, born December 2018 and averaging 390kg sold for €790/head (€2.03/kg).
Lot 12B: this Limousin X heifer, born November 2018 and weighing 395kg sold for €900 (€2.28/kg).

Kilkenny Mart

Commission in the mart is €12-15 to the seller and €10 to the buyer.

Analysis for this report was generated from the MartBids app. MartBids is a collaboration between the Irish Farmers Journal and livestock marts. The app is available for download on iPhone or Android on the App Store or Google Play. With this app, all of the information that is displayed on the mart board is now available on your smartphone, long before the animal enters the sales ring.