An entry of approximately 200 heifers met keen demand at Inishowen Co-op’s weekly cattle sale on Monday.
The best demand was for good-quality continental store heifers, with competition strongest for heifers weighing 320kg to 430kg.
Top-quality Charolais- and Limousin-sired heifers ranged from €3.30/kg to €3.60/kg.
One third of the sale entry was accounted for by heifers in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket.
Average prices
The average price was recorded at €3.04/kg. This ranged from €3.41/kg for the top third of heifers in this category to €2.59/kg for the plainest-quality lots, including some beef-crosses bred from the dairy herd.
A similar average price of €3.02/kg was recorded for heifers weighing 400kg to 500kg.
Top-quality lots sold from €3.20/kg to €3.50/kg, average-quality around the €3.10/kg mark and, again, plainer-quality types back to €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg.
Heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg were in lower supply, with prices averaging at just shy of €3/kg.
Plainer quality
Some dairy-cross and plainer-quality O grading heifers sold from €2.55/kg to €2.85/kg, while the better-quality continental-crosses sold from €3/kg to €3.23/kg.
The average price for a small entry of heifers weighing in excess of 600kg was boosted by a few excellent-quality Limousin-cross heifers selling to a top of €2,370 for a 665kg heifer.
Prices averaged in excess of €3/kg, with a general range from €2.80/kg to €3.15/kg. Factory agents were keen for any slaughter-fit stock with finishers competing for short-keep types.
Mart manager Harry Molloy reported that demand for store cattle is positive despite the ongoing adverse weather.
He says that when weather does improve, it is likely to attract more local farmer buyers to the ring, but added that grass buyers are still active as the year is pushing on and buyers are afraid quality may dip later in the season.
Sales throughput is also rising to its seasonal spring peak with sales across April expected to busy. The cow trade has been steady at a strong level for many months.
Over 30 cows recorded a fine average of €2.51/kg, with a significant percentage selling from €2.30/kg to €2.75/kg.
Cow heifers and excellent-quality cows sold to €2.99/kg, with plainer-quality back to €2/kg.
The mart will hold its sale of bullocks and bull weanlings on Monday 8 April.
This 780kg quality Limousin cow born 23/11/11 sold for €2,330 (€2.99/kg).
Weighing 645kg, this young cow-heifer born 13/01/22 sold for €1,880 (€2.91/kg).
This quality Charolais heifer weighing 430kg and born 27/05/23 sold for €1,480 (€3.44/kg).
This Salers-cross heifer weighing 525kg and born 01/10/22 sold for €1,540 (€2.93/kg).
This Simmental-cross heifer weighing 284kg and born 18/05/23 sold for €960 (€3.38/kg).
This Simmental heifer weighing 435kg and born 11/01/23 sold for €1,430 (€3.29/kg).
This Simmental heifer weighing 500kg and born 01/05/22 sold for €1,610 (€3.22/kg).
This 374kg Limousin heifer born 30/03/23 sold for €1,330 (€3.36/kg).
This Charolais heifer weighing 660kg and born 15/03/22 sold for €2,080 (€3.15/kg).
This Limousin-cross heifer weighing 342kg and born 25/05/23 sold €1,140 (€3.33/kg).
Weighing 655kg, this Charolais-cross heifer born 11/04/22 sold for €1,880 (€2.87/kg).
This fleshed Charolais-cross heifer weighing 660kg and born 12/5/22, sold for €2,040 (€3.15/kg).
This Salers-bred heifer born 08/04/22 and weighing 675kg sold for €1,910 (€2.83/kg).
This Limousin-cross heifer weighing 560kg and born 12/03/22, sold for €1,620 (€2.89/kg).
This Simmental-cross heifer weighing 535kg and born 22/02/22 sold for €1,520 (€2.84/kg).
This 560kg Belgian Blue heifer weighing 560kg and born 08/03/22 sold for €1,560 (€2.79/kg).
This Simmental-cross heifer weighing 296kg and born 12/02/23 sold for €950
(€3.21/kg).
This Aberdeen Angus heifer weighing 390kg and born 28/03/23 sold for €1,150 (€2.95/kg).
This 625kg Charolais bull born 08/04/23 and suitable for the SCEP scheme sold for €2,260 (€3.62/kg).
Weighing 460kg, this Simmental-cross heifer born 18/01/23 sold for €1350 (€2.93/kg).
An entry of approximately 200 heifers met keen demand at Inishowen Co-op’s weekly cattle sale on Monday.
The best demand was for good-quality continental store heifers, with competition strongest for heifers weighing 320kg to 430kg.
Top-quality Charolais- and Limousin-sired heifers ranged from €3.30/kg to €3.60/kg.
One third of the sale entry was accounted for by heifers in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket.
Average prices
The average price was recorded at €3.04/kg. This ranged from €3.41/kg for the top third of heifers in this category to €2.59/kg for the plainest-quality lots, including some beef-crosses bred from the dairy herd.
A similar average price of €3.02/kg was recorded for heifers weighing 400kg to 500kg.
Top-quality lots sold from €3.20/kg to €3.50/kg, average-quality around the €3.10/kg mark and, again, plainer-quality types back to €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg.
Heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg were in lower supply, with prices averaging at just shy of €3/kg.
Plainer quality
Some dairy-cross and plainer-quality O grading heifers sold from €2.55/kg to €2.85/kg, while the better-quality continental-crosses sold from €3/kg to €3.23/kg.
The average price for a small entry of heifers weighing in excess of 600kg was boosted by a few excellent-quality Limousin-cross heifers selling to a top of €2,370 for a 665kg heifer.
Prices averaged in excess of €3/kg, with a general range from €2.80/kg to €3.15/kg. Factory agents were keen for any slaughter-fit stock with finishers competing for short-keep types.
Mart manager Harry Molloy reported that demand for store cattle is positive despite the ongoing adverse weather.
He says that when weather does improve, it is likely to attract more local farmer buyers to the ring, but added that grass buyers are still active as the year is pushing on and buyers are afraid quality may dip later in the season.
Sales throughput is also rising to its seasonal spring peak with sales across April expected to busy. The cow trade has been steady at a strong level for many months.
Over 30 cows recorded a fine average of €2.51/kg, with a significant percentage selling from €2.30/kg to €2.75/kg.
Cow heifers and excellent-quality cows sold to €2.99/kg, with plainer-quality back to €2/kg.
The mart will hold its sale of bullocks and bull weanlings on Monday 8 April.
This 780kg quality Limousin cow born 23/11/11 sold for €2,330 (€2.99/kg).
Weighing 645kg, this young cow-heifer born 13/01/22 sold for €1,880 (€2.91/kg).
This quality Charolais heifer weighing 430kg and born 27/05/23 sold for €1,480 (€3.44/kg).
This Salers-cross heifer weighing 525kg and born 01/10/22 sold for €1,540 (€2.93/kg).
This Simmental-cross heifer weighing 284kg and born 18/05/23 sold for €960 (€3.38/kg).
This Simmental heifer weighing 435kg and born 11/01/23 sold for €1,430 (€3.29/kg).
This Simmental heifer weighing 500kg and born 01/05/22 sold for €1,610 (€3.22/kg).
This 374kg Limousin heifer born 30/03/23 sold for €1,330 (€3.36/kg).
This Charolais heifer weighing 660kg and born 15/03/22 sold for €2,080 (€3.15/kg).
This Limousin-cross heifer weighing 342kg and born 25/05/23 sold €1,140 (€3.33/kg).
Weighing 655kg, this Charolais-cross heifer born 11/04/22 sold for €1,880 (€2.87/kg).
This fleshed Charolais-cross heifer weighing 660kg and born 12/5/22, sold for €2,040 (€3.15/kg).
This Salers-bred heifer born 08/04/22 and weighing 675kg sold for €1,910 (€2.83/kg).
This Limousin-cross heifer weighing 560kg and born 12/03/22, sold for €1,620 (€2.89/kg).
This Simmental-cross heifer weighing 535kg and born 22/02/22 sold for €1,520 (€2.84/kg).
This 560kg Belgian Blue heifer weighing 560kg and born 08/03/22 sold for €1,560 (€2.79/kg).
This Simmental-cross heifer weighing 296kg and born 12/02/23 sold for €950
(€3.21/kg).
This Aberdeen Angus heifer weighing 390kg and born 28/03/23 sold for €1,150 (€2.95/kg).
This 625kg Charolais bull born 08/04/23 and suitable for the SCEP scheme sold for €2,260 (€3.62/kg).
Weighing 460kg, this Simmental-cross heifer born 18/01/23 sold for €1350 (€2.93/kg).
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