Kilkenny Mart hosted a bumper sale of stock last Thursday equalled by the demand ringside and online.
The sale of over 900 cattle is one of the largest the mart has seen in the month of January.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Michael Lynch said: “We had over 300 cull cows and we never had that before, but there was customers for them all!
This Limousin bullock weighed 325kg and sold for €620 (€1.91/kg).
“Anything more forward or factory fit is in a phenomenal demand. Even the lighter lots are lifting, with feed lots, agents and farmer buyers very anxious for all types of stock for this time of the year.”
Prices for cull cows proved exceptionally strong, with some Friesian lots breaking €2/kg.
Beef cows were up a further step from this, with prices starting at €2/kg and selling up to €2.37/kg, which was hit on two occasions. Overall average for cull cows settled at an impressive €1.62/kg, with a majority dairy make-up.
This Friesian cow weighed 665kg and sold for €980 (€1.47/kg).
Forward steers
A strong number of forward steers were offered for sale resulting in a 100% clearance rate.
Nearly 100 lots sold for an average price of €2.31/kg, with the average price for the top third of lots sold heading close to €2.55/kg.
Leading lots here was a pair of Charolais bullocks that weighed 605kg and sold for €1,710 (€2.83/kg).
This 660kg Limousin cow sold for €1,170 (€1.77/kg).
While a number of heavier lots didn’t hit the same per kilo price, their price per head was significantly higher.
One pair of spring 2019-born Limousin bullocks that weighed 810kg hit the market at €1,980 (€2.44/kg).
Heifers breaking the 600kg mark were in tighter supply, but also met a strong demand for those sold through the ring.
This Charolais bullock weighed 590kg and sold for €1,380 (€2.34/kg).
Here, prices averaged at €2.45/kg, moving to a €2.70/kg average for the top third of lots sold.
Top price in the latter category was a Limousin heifer that weighed 600kg and sold for €1,640 (€2.73/kg).
Short-keep heifer lots also averaged that €2.45kg mark, but again were in small numbers. Leading prices here was a Charolais heifer that weighed 595kg and sold for €1,690 (€2.84/kg).
This Hereford bullock weighed 600kg and sold for €1,340 (€2.23/kg).
There was four times as many steer short-keep lots as heifers. While prices weren’t as high on average, the bullock ring did contain a lot more dairy-beef lots in comparison with the heifers. Overall, 180 lots sold to average €2.26/kg.
This Hereford bullock weighed 636kg and sold for €1,450 (€2.28/kg).
This Angus bullock weighed 565kg and sold for €1,400 (€2.48/kg).
This Friesian cow weighed 670kg and sold for €1,180 (€1.76/kg).
This Limousin bullock weighed 590kg and sold for €1,340 (€2.27/kg).
This Friesian cow weighed 745kg and sold for €1,120 (€1.50/kg).
This Limousin cow weighed 845kg and sold for €1,930 (€2.28/kg).
Kilkenny Mart hosted a bumper sale of stock last Thursday equalled by the demand ringside and online.
The sale of over 900 cattle is one of the largest the mart has seen in the month of January.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Michael Lynch said: “We had over 300 cull cows and we never had that before, but there was customers for them all!
This Limousin bullock weighed 325kg and sold for €620 (€1.91/kg).
“Anything more forward or factory fit is in a phenomenal demand. Even the lighter lots are lifting, with feed lots, agents and farmer buyers very anxious for all types of stock for this time of the year.”
Prices for cull cows proved exceptionally strong, with some Friesian lots breaking €2/kg.
Beef cows were up a further step from this, with prices starting at €2/kg and selling up to €2.37/kg, which was hit on two occasions. Overall average for cull cows settled at an impressive €1.62/kg, with a majority dairy make-up.
This Friesian cow weighed 665kg and sold for €980 (€1.47/kg).
Forward steers
A strong number of forward steers were offered for sale resulting in a 100% clearance rate.
Nearly 100 lots sold for an average price of €2.31/kg, with the average price for the top third of lots sold heading close to €2.55/kg.
Leading lots here was a pair of Charolais bullocks that weighed 605kg and sold for €1,710 (€2.83/kg).
This 660kg Limousin cow sold for €1,170 (€1.77/kg).
While a number of heavier lots didn’t hit the same per kilo price, their price per head was significantly higher.
One pair of spring 2019-born Limousin bullocks that weighed 810kg hit the market at €1,980 (€2.44/kg).
Heifers breaking the 600kg mark were in tighter supply, but also met a strong demand for those sold through the ring.
This Charolais bullock weighed 590kg and sold for €1,380 (€2.34/kg).
Here, prices averaged at €2.45/kg, moving to a €2.70/kg average for the top third of lots sold.
Top price in the latter category was a Limousin heifer that weighed 600kg and sold for €1,640 (€2.73/kg).
Short-keep heifer lots also averaged that €2.45kg mark, but again were in small numbers. Leading prices here was a Charolais heifer that weighed 595kg and sold for €1,690 (€2.84/kg).
This Hereford bullock weighed 600kg and sold for €1,340 (€2.23/kg).
There was four times as many steer short-keep lots as heifers. While prices weren’t as high on average, the bullock ring did contain a lot more dairy-beef lots in comparison with the heifers. Overall, 180 lots sold to average €2.26/kg.
This Hereford bullock weighed 636kg and sold for €1,450 (€2.28/kg).
This Angus bullock weighed 565kg and sold for €1,400 (€2.48/kg).
This Friesian cow weighed 670kg and sold for €1,180 (€1.76/kg).
This Limousin bullock weighed 590kg and sold for €1,340 (€2.27/kg).
This Friesian cow weighed 745kg and sold for €1,120 (€1.50/kg).
This Limousin cow weighed 845kg and sold for €1,930 (€2.28/kg).
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