There was a “good firm trade” in Roscrea Mart on Friday, according to mart manager Michael Hartly.

He said numbers were down slightly compared with the week previous, but he is putting this down to sellers holding off moving stock during the wet spell.

“The grass is there, but farmers are just probably slow to sell until it dries out,” he explained.

Prices in general remained steady on last week and Michael said clearances were good too.

Bullocks

Bullocks weighing 400kg to 500kg made up to the largest throughput on the day.

The average price for these bullocks was €2.13/kg, with one Charolais bullock selling as high as €2.72/kg.

Prices fell back to €1.74/kg for a group of young dairy-bred bullocks.

A large number of Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €2.05/kg to €2.09/kg.

  • MOX (Montbéliarde cross) - 13 months - 445kg - €775.
  • LMX (Limousin cross) - 25 months - 440kg - €825.
  • HEX (Hereford cross) - 24 months - 431kg - €840.
  • AAX (Aberdeen Angus cross) - 23 months - 485kg - €1,005.
  • LMX - 21 months - 470kg - €1,030.
  • CHX (Charolais cross) - 23 months - 475kg - €1,090.
  • LMX - 23 months - 475kg - €1,085.

    • Heavier bullocks weighing 500kg to 600kg sold at an average price of €2.10/kg, with prices up 4c/kg compared with the previous week’s sale.

    Good-quality Limousin bullocks were in demand, reaching prices over €2.45/kg.

    Some plainer lots sold back to €1.81/kg, with the majority making prices in excess of €2/kg.

  • LMX - 23 months - 525kg - €950.
  • HEX - 23 months - 515kg - €1,000.
  • LMX - 23 months - 545kg - €1,100.
  • AAX - 24 months - 530kg - €1,090.
  • BBX (Belgian Blue) - 23 months - 507kg - €1,050.
  • SIX (Simmental cross) - 23 months - 525kg - €1,180.
  • AAX - 23 months - 570kg - €1,330.
  • LMX - 27 months - 505kg - €1,250.

    • Bullocks weighing over 600kg sold from €1.87/kg up to €2.23/kg. These bullocks ranged in age from 21 months to 33 months.

  • HEX - 33 months - 617kg - €1,155.
  • BBX - 27 months - 615kg - €1,190.
  • CHX - 23 months - 845kg - €1,325.
  • LMX - 27 months - 605kg - €1,250.

    • Weanling bulls

    There was a good selection of weanling bulls weighing 300kg to 400kg and they sold at an average price of €2.29/kg.

    Prices ranged from €2.03/kg up to €2.56/kg. Continental-bred bulls weighing up to 450kg made up to €2.44/kg

  • FR – 8 months – 335kg - €680.
  • CHX - 10 months - 361kg - €780.
  • SIX - 10 months - 336kg - €730.
  • LMX - 8 months - 400kg - €870.
  • HEX - 11 months - 345kg - €765.
  • LMX - 8 months - 303kg - €775.
  • CHX - 8 months - 450kg - €1,100.

    • Heifers

    There was a large number of heifers in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket.

    Prices averaged €2.10/kg and ranged from €1.88/kg up to €2.50/kg.

    Heifers weighing over 600kg sold from €1.98/kg to €2.19/kg.

  • AAX - 23 months - 480kg - €900.
  • LMX - 23 months - 480kg - €920.
  • LMX - 23 months - 465kg - €920.
  • BBX - 24 months - 495kg - €1,060.
  • CHX - 18 months - 490kg - €1,065.
  • LMX - 22 months - 415kg - €935.
  • LMX - 14 months - 432kg - €1,000.
  • CH - 21 months - 480kg - €1,155.
  • LMX - 21 months - 500kg - €1,250.
  • SIX - 25 months - 605kg - €1,200.
  • CHX - 27 months - 635kg - €1,385.
  • LMX - 35 months - 635kg - €1,390.

    • Heifers weighing under 400kg sold from €1.88/kg to €2.62/kg.

    Increased buyer competition saw prices rise by 20c/kg for these heifers, compared with last week’s sale.

  • AAX - 16 months - 375kg - €705.
  • CHX - 12 months - 395kg - €870.
  • SIX - 22 months - 355kg - €785.
  • LMX - 12 months - 385kg - €1,010.
  • LMX - 12 months - 385kg - €980.

    • This Hereford-cross bullock, weighing 620kg and born in February 2017, made €1,190.

    This heifer, weighing 605kg and born in January 2017, sold for €1,200.

    This heifer, weighing 540kg and born in April 2017, made €1,315.

    This Belgian Blue bull, weighing 540kg and born January 2018, made €1,085.

    These 530kg heifers sold for €1,290, both born September 2017.

    Analysis for this report was generated from the MartBids app. MartBids is a collaboration between the Irish Farmers Journal and livestock marts.

    The app is available for download on iPhone or Android on the App Store or Google Play.

    With this app, all of the information that is displayed on the mart board is now available on your smartphone, long before the animal enters the sales ring.