The fatstock show and sale in Skibbereen Mart kicked on another level, with over 100 animals entered at the event on Friday last.
Supreme championship title went to a September 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighing 545kg belonging to Donal Murphy and Kieran Sheehy, which sold for €3,550 (€6.51/kg).
A Belgian Blue bullock took home the reserve championship title, this one the property of Mervyn Busteed. The November 2022-born animal weighed 740kg and sold for €3,500 (€4.72/kg).
Top price of the sale was paid for an October 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer owned by Gerard and Eamon O’Donoghue. She weighed 825kg and sold for €5,800 (7.03/kg).
Another autumn 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer was next highest when it came to price. The 745kg animal owned by Finbarr and Jamie Twomey sold for €4,000 (€5.37/kg).
Multiples exceed €5/kg
A good share of entries in the fat stock made in excess of €4/kg and the weanling heifer class saw multiple entries exceed €5/kg on a number of occasions.
The highest per-kilo price of €6.35/kg was paid for a January 2024-born roan Belgian Blue-cross.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Keith Mullaney said: “That’s the biggest one we’ve had in a long time. We had 100 in the fatstock and that’s about double on last year.
"It’s great that it went so well, as it will encourage young farmers to produce more stock for next year and good to see it for the suckler farmers who are breeding the stock too.
"Our fatstock does attract more and we’ll be trying to expand it next year.”
Serious demand
"There was serious demand for heifers from across the country and this resulted in a savage competition between buyers, with a lot of heifers bought for breeding.
"Quality sold and they were exceptional, with a lot of interest. A good few came from all over both online and in-person. There were a few who never stood in Skibbereen Mart before this sale.”
There was a 99% clearance rate of the 680 animals on offer and whether in the fatstock or the general sale, trade was equally hot.
“Beef trade is going up and up every week and factories are anxious for beef. That’s driving everything up, even dairy-bred stores are making €3/kg now.
"It was the same with the cows. A good few sucklers went well over €3/kg and I’d say Friesian cows are up €200 to €300 on this time last year.”
This December 2022-born Limousin-cross heifer weighed 610kg and sold for €2,600 (€4.26/kg).
This April 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €1,980 (€4.40/kg).
This January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 370kg and sold for €2,350 (€6.35/kg).
This November 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 630kg and sold for €2.500 (€3.97/kg).
This March 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 705kg and sold for €2,700 (€3.83/kg).
This August 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 720kg and sold for €2,800 (€3.73/kg).
This October 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 825kg and sold for €5,800 (€7.03/kg) The heifer that had the highest price of the sales was owned by Gerard and Eamon O'Donoghue, Leap
This January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €2,400 (€5.33/kg).
This January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €2,300 (€5.11/kg).
This October 2023-born Limousin-cross heifer weighed 565kg and sold for €2,550 (€4.51/kg).
This November 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 565kg and sold for €2,100 (€3.72/kg).
This May 2023-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 785kg and sold for €3,300 (€4.20/kg).
This May 2023-born Limousin-cross heifer weighed 635kg and sold for €3,000 (€4.58/kg).
This September 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 650kg and sold for €3,100 (€4.77/kg).
This November 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 740kg and sold for €3,500 (€4.72/kg).
This September 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer was the supreme champion of the show, weighing 545kg she sold for €3,550 (€4.72/kg).
The fatstock show and sale in Skibbereen Mart kicked on another level, with over 100 animals entered at the event on Friday last.
Supreme championship title went to a September 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighing 545kg belonging to Donal Murphy and Kieran Sheehy, which sold for €3,550 (€6.51/kg).
A Belgian Blue bullock took home the reserve championship title, this one the property of Mervyn Busteed. The November 2022-born animal weighed 740kg and sold for €3,500 (€4.72/kg).
Top price of the sale was paid for an October 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer owned by Gerard and Eamon O’Donoghue. She weighed 825kg and sold for €5,800 (7.03/kg).
Another autumn 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer was next highest when it came to price. The 745kg animal owned by Finbarr and Jamie Twomey sold for €4,000 (€5.37/kg).
Multiples exceed €5/kg
A good share of entries in the fat stock made in excess of €4/kg and the weanling heifer class saw multiple entries exceed €5/kg on a number of occasions.
The highest per-kilo price of €6.35/kg was paid for a January 2024-born roan Belgian Blue-cross.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Keith Mullaney said: “That’s the biggest one we’ve had in a long time. We had 100 in the fatstock and that’s about double on last year.
"It’s great that it went so well, as it will encourage young farmers to produce more stock for next year and good to see it for the suckler farmers who are breeding the stock too.
"Our fatstock does attract more and we’ll be trying to expand it next year.”
Serious demand
"There was serious demand for heifers from across the country and this resulted in a savage competition between buyers, with a lot of heifers bought for breeding.
"Quality sold and they were exceptional, with a lot of interest. A good few came from all over both online and in-person. There were a few who never stood in Skibbereen Mart before this sale.”
There was a 99% clearance rate of the 680 animals on offer and whether in the fatstock or the general sale, trade was equally hot.
“Beef trade is going up and up every week and factories are anxious for beef. That’s driving everything up, even dairy-bred stores are making €3/kg now.
"It was the same with the cows. A good few sucklers went well over €3/kg and I’d say Friesian cows are up €200 to €300 on this time last year.”
This December 2022-born Limousin-cross heifer weighed 610kg and sold for €2,600 (€4.26/kg).
This April 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €1,980 (€4.40/kg).
This January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 370kg and sold for €2,350 (€6.35/kg).
This November 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 630kg and sold for €2.500 (€3.97/kg).
This March 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 705kg and sold for €2,700 (€3.83/kg).
This August 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 720kg and sold for €2,800 (€3.73/kg).
This October 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 825kg and sold for €5,800 (€7.03/kg) The heifer that had the highest price of the sales was owned by Gerard and Eamon O'Donoghue, Leap
This January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €2,400 (€5.33/kg).
This January 2024-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €2,300 (€5.11/kg).
This October 2023-born Limousin-cross heifer weighed 565kg and sold for €2,550 (€4.51/kg).
This November 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 565kg and sold for €2,100 (€3.72/kg).
This May 2023-born Limousin-cross bullock weighed 785kg and sold for €3,300 (€4.20/kg).
This May 2023-born Limousin-cross heifer weighed 635kg and sold for €3,000 (€4.58/kg).
This September 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 650kg and sold for €3,100 (€4.77/kg).
This November 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 740kg and sold for €3,500 (€4.72/kg).
This September 2023-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer was the supreme champion of the show, weighing 545kg she sold for €3,550 (€4.72/kg).
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