A smaller entry of around 250 cattle were booked in for the first general sale of the new year in Ennis on Thursday. Included in this were just shy of 100 bullocks and 80 store heifers. The bullock ring saw the best prices on the day.

Bullocks

Bullocks from 400kg to 500kg sold for an average price of €2.01/kg. It was primarily all continentals here and they started at €2.10/kg and the tops fetched as high as €2.40/kg. Good quality commanded over €2.25/kg consistently. A handful of Friesians made €1.50-1.60/kg, while a few dairy crosses made €1.90/kg.

From 500-600kg, the average was a strong €2.13/kg. Again, it was nearly all continentals. They started at €2.05/kg this time and again fetched €2.40/kg for the tops. Dairy lots ranged from €1.85/kg to €1.95/kg.

Heavy bullocks, over 600kg averaged €1.87/kg while really good quality lots were selling for over €2.20/kg.

Heifers

Store heifers from 400kg to 500kg in weight averaged €1.84/kg for the sale. Good-quality lots in this weight category made over €2.10/kg regularly and as high as €2.22/kg. Plainer heifers were back below €1.60/kg.

From 500kg to 600kg, the average was €1.65/kg, while quality consistently hit €2.05/kg and topped out at €2.21/kg for a 580kg Charolais cross.

Cows

The sale featured a strong entry of 70 cull cows, with a roughly 50:50 split between dairy and beef.

Good-quality, U/R+ grading beef cows with a bit of flesh made over €1.50/kg and up to €1.70/kg. Plainer suckler types were selling for below €1.50/kg back to €1.25/kg.

Friesian cows ranged from €1.05/kg to €1.20/kg on the main with a trickle of square, well-fleshed Friesians drifting up to a top of €1.35/kg.

Ennis Mart

Commission rates are €9.48 to the buyer with the seller subject to a €2 booking fee plus 1.5% commission up to a maximum of €12.

Ennis Mart holds a general cattle sale of bulls, bullocks, heifers and dry cows on Thursday’s and a weanling, suckler cow and calf sale every Tuesday.

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.