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Mountrath Mart’s latest E and U grade weanling sale held last Thursday evening included a show and sale of Limousin weanlings.
Mart manager Glen Cooper reported a lively trade for good-quality bulls, with specialist bull beef finishers very active and competing with farmers purchasing lighter bulls for castrating.
This heavier and older Limousin heifer weighed 630kg, was born in April 2015, and sold for €1,280.
U grade Limousin bulls weighing 430kg to 500kg sold from €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg on average, with the best-quality bulls weighing back to 380kg selling to a top of €2.70/kg.
The trend was similar for lighter bulls weighing 300kg to 380kg. These weight category bulls attracted interest from farmers looking for bulls to run in a steer system.
The general run of prices for R+ and U grading Limousin bulls ranged from €2.40/kg to €2.70/kg with the best-quality lots, as reflected in the photos, rising to €2.80/kg or slightly higher. Lesser-quality Limousin bulls sold back to €2.20/kg.
Heifers
This 340kg Limousin heifer was born January 2017 and sold for €865 (€2.54/kg).
Heifers followed a similar trend, with a lower price per kilo achieved. Good-quality R and U grade heifers weighing 300kg to 400kg sold from €2.20/kg to €2.50/kg, with the very best quality lots attracting a 10c/kg to 15c/kg higher premium.
This top-quality Limousin heifer weighing 485kg and born September 2016 sold for €1,190 (€2.45/kg).
This Limousin heifer weighing 410kg and born January 2017 sold for €990 (€2.41/kg).
This 425kg Limousin heifer was born in august 2016 and sold for €1,080 (€2.54/kg).
Good-quality U grading heifers weighing 400kg to 440kg sold from €2.40/kg to €2.55/kg, with R grading lots back to €2.20/kg. Plainer-quality O grading heifers and lots with poor weight for age sold back to €1.95/kg to €2.10/kg.
This May 2016-born light Limousin heifer weighed 355kg and sold for €690 (€1.94/kg).
This brown Simmental heifer weighing 485kg was born April 2016 and sold for €920 (€1.90/kg).
High demand for good-quality Charolais bulls
Glen said there was excellent demand for good-quality Charolais bulls, with buyers present for all weight categories.
This top-quality Charolais bull weighing 555kg was born in November 2016 and sold for €1,420 (€2.56/kg).
This prize-winning Limousin bull, born September 2016 and weighing 490kg, sold for €1,260 (€2.57/kg).
This Charolais bull with great weight for age was born November 2016, weighed 600kg and sold for €1,470 (€2.45/kg).
Top-quality heavy U grading bulls weighing 500kg to 570kg sold from €1.35/kg to as high as €2.55/kg, with demand for heavy bulls reflected in the 600kg Charolais bull pictured selling for €2.45/kg.
This January 2017-born prize-winning Limousin bull weighing 425kg sold for €1,110 (€2.61/kg).
Lighter bulls in the 440kg to 480kg weight bracket sold from €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg on average, with bulls weighing 370kg to 420kg selling to €2.80/kg and even higher for top-quality bulls.
The best-quality lighter Charolais bulls hit €3/kg.
This 315kg Limousin bull, born december 2016, sold for €700 (€2.22/kg).
This good-quality February 2017-born Limousin bull weighing 395kg sold for €1,050 (€2.66/kg).
This January 2017-born Limousin bull weighing 365kg sold for €1,020 (€2.79/kg).
The trade for plainer-quality light bulls was easier than previous weeks, with plainer quality bulls and those with poor-weight for age weighing less than 300kg selling from €2.15/kg to €2.50/kg on average.
This top-quality 410kg Charolais bull was born January 2017 and sold for €1,140 (€2.78/kg).
This December 2016-born Limousin X blue cross bull weighing 405kg sold for €1,060 (€2.62/kg).
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