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04 July 2018

Kieran Mailey on 04 Jul 2018

Camer at the mart: numbers down but prices steady at Dungannon

Cattle numbers are easing at Dungannon Mart, but having fewer cattle for sale is having a positive effect on prices.

Kieran Mailey

4 July 2018

Camer at the mart: numbers down but prices steady at Dungannon

This Limousin heifer, born June 2017 and weighing 340kg, sold for £705.

This Simmental bullock, born March 2017 and weighing 280kg, sold for £535.

This Hereford bullock, born June 2017 and weighing 280kg, sold for £565.

This Charolais bullock, born May 2016 and weighing 580kg, sold for £1,280.

This Limousin bullock, born May 2016 and weighing 595kg, sold for £1,240.

This Limousin heifer, born December 2016 and weighing 575kg, sold for £1,170.

This Charolais heifer, born April 2017 and weighing 345kg, sold for £720.

This Hereford heifer, born June 2017 and weighing 350kg, sold for £650.

This Belgian Blue bullock, born October 2017 and weighing 315kg, sold for £690.

This Limousin heifer, born April 2017 and weighing 350kg, sold for £635.

This Limousin heifer, born May 2017 and weighing 350kg, sold for £700.

This Limousin heifer, born July 2017 and weighing 330kg, sold for £600.

Camera at the mart attended the weekly cattle sale in Dungannon Mart last week. Cattle numbers have eased off in recent weeks after a busy spring period.However, there is still a good throughput of store animals given the time of year and sale numbers are on par with other years at the beginning of July.

Camera at the mart attended the weekly cattle sale in Dungannon Mart last week. Cattle numbers have eased off in recent weeks after a busy spring period.

However, there is still a good throughput of store animals given the time of year and sale numbers are on par with other years at the beginning of July.

Buyer demand remains strong, with a sharper edge to the heavier store trade and a good mix of finishers and cattle agents looking for short-keep animals.

Heavier fleshed cattle that will kill off grass in the coming weeks are a firm trade, as are cattle that will kill in autumn to early winter.

A small showing of lighter store cattle were a steady trade, with prices reflective of cattle quality.

Mart manager Trevor Wylie commented on the sale, stating that cattle being forwarded for sale are of good-quality.

He added that continental store cattle are an easy sell, with plenty of buyers on hand for forward steers and heifers.

The trade for bullocks saw a limited entry of heavy fleshed animals forwarded for sale. With fewer numbers on offer, buying competition was firm.

Prices peaked at £1,290 for a 580kg Charolais-bred animal, making 222p/kg. Other noted prices for forward bullocks saw continental types weighing 550kg to 600kg selling from £1,240 to £1,280.

Mid-weight store bullocks sold upwards from £900 to £1,100, depending on quality and weight, with lighter and plainer types a slower trade, with prices back to £700.

The number of forward heifers offered for sale was also limited and, again, this underpinned buyer demand.

Prices peaked at £1,170 for a 575kg Limousin-bred animal, which made 204p/kg. Other forward heifers sold to over £1,100. Mid-weight and lighter heifers sold from £650 to £900, depending on quality.

Weanlings sold to a top price of £890 for a Hereford bull calf which made 202p/kg, while weanling heifers sold to £720 for a 345kg Charolais animal which made 209p/kg.

Suckler cows sold to £1,330 for a Hereford cow with a Charolais heifer calf at foot. In the calf ring, drop calves sold to £360 for a Limousin heifer, with bull calves selling to £300 for a Limousin-bred animal.

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