Camera at the Mart: trade remains strong in Kilkenny

Like all marts around the country, Kilkenny Mart is seeing numbers remain high, with over 500 calves in its sale on Monday.

Moved a day earlier ahead of St Patrick's Day this week, it will return to Tuesday next week.

A strong entry of Friesian-cross bulls met a good demand, with calves over 70kg making in excess of €450/head. Calves weighing from 50kg to 60kg sold from €300 to €400/head.

Angus-cross bulls over 60kg met a phenomenal demand, with prices from €480/head upwards to calves 70kg regularly crossing the €600/head mark.

Angus-cross heifers of the same weight sold from €400 upwards, while calves between 40kg and 50kg selling from €200 up to tops of €400/head.

Hereford-cross heifers under 50kg sold from €140 to €350, with calves over €50kg selling better, with €400 to €500 regularly paid for these lots.

Hereford-cross bulls weighing from 50kg to 60kg sold from €350 to €500, with a good entry of calves over 60kg making up as high as €700/head.

The general run of the sale for Belgian Blue-cross calves weighing 50kg or more was €500 to €650/head.

A small entry of Charolais-cross calves - all between 50kg and 60kg - sold from €480 to €650. Limousin-cross calves had a similar entry to Charolais and sold from €400 up to €600.

These one-month-old Angus heifers weighing 62kg sold for €490.

This three-week-old Hereford-cross bull weighed 68kg and sold for €600.

These one-month-old Belgian Blue-cross heifers weighed 63kg and sold for €490.

These three-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bulls weighed 69.5kg and sold for €590.

These one-month-old Limousin-cross heifers weighed 55kg and sold for €420.

These one-month-old Limousin-cross bulls weighed 55kg and sold for €460.

These one-month-old Angus-cross bulls weighed 64kg and sold for €510.

These one-month-old Friesian-cross bulls weighed 57kg and sold for €360.