Camera at the Mart: less bite for weanlings in Cashel

A lower-than-normal clearance rate was seen for weanlings in Cashel Mart’s Saturday sale, while cull cows held firm for the majority of lots.

Some 163 cattle passed through the ring in 80 lots, with 128 of these seeing the hammer fall, giving a clearance rate of 79%.

The majority of weanling on offer were of dairy-beef origin, with mostly Hereford and Angus-cross bulls and heifers available.

Weight for age was one of the biggest driver of prices, with some quality bull weanlings above 250kg and some nicer-type heifer weanlings around the same weight selling best.

Bull weanlings

Just shy of a pen of lighter bulls below the 200kg mark were present at the sale, selling for an average of €3.92/kg, back 78c/kg on the week prior, though quality was as much a driver of this slippage as anything.

Bulls in the 200kg to 300kg bracket actually saw an increase of 11c/kg on average on the week previous, with €4.43/kg being paid for average-quality bulls.

The top third of bulls of this weight sold for 56c/kg (€4.89/kg, up 21c/kg on the week prior), with the bottom third selling for 35c/kg less.

Heavier bulls between 300kg and 400kg were invariably behind these types on a kg-per-head basis, but commanded decent prices on a per-head basis.

Average-quality bulls between 300kg and 400kg sold for €3.65/kg (back 41c/kg on the week before), putting a 330kg calf at €1,204.50. Top-end bulls averaged €3.79/kg, with lower quality stock averaging €3.33/kg.

Numbers were lower in the heifer ring, with quality and weight also variable. A small show of heifer weanlings below 200kg sold on average for €4,84/kg, while average price in the heifers between 200kg and 300kg was €4.52/kg.

This left an average-quality heifer weighing 270kg at €1,220.40, with the top third of heifers selling for 40c/kg above this, while the bottom third were 34c/kg behind this number.

Average price in heifers between 300kg and 400kg came to €3.62/kg, with heifers in the main selling from €3.30/kg to €3.80/kg.

Fourteen cull cows were on offer, with all being Friesian and Friesian-cross. Average price per kilo was €2.13/kg, with the bottom third of cows down at €1.58/kg, while the top third were over €1/kg higher than this at €2.64/kg.

Angus and Hereford calves at a month old sold between €490 and €530 in the main, while continental calves between one and two months of age sold between €650 and €820.