More than 700 cattle found new homes after Thursday’s general cattle sale in Kilkenny Mart. Included in this were more than 400 bullocks.

Bullocks

From 350-400kg, the sale average was €1.76/kg. Friesians ranged from €1.50/kg up to €1.63/kg, while Hereford and Angus crosses went from €1.65/kg up to €1.80/kg. Continentals started at €1.87/kg and topped out with a pen of three Limousin crosses weighing 386kg coming into €900/head or €2.33/kg.

Moving along, 400-500kg bullocks were back 5c/kg for the week to €1.87/kg. There was a big range – €1.15/kg to €1.75/kg – for Friesian cattle in this weight band. Dairy-beef lots were less rangy, with all being sold between €1.75/kg and €1.90/kg. Continentals started at €1.90/kg but quality was in fine demand and €2.30/kg would have to be parted with to secure the best lots. €2.66/kg was the best in this weight range.

From 500-600kg, the average was €2.01, back roughly 5c/kg from last week too. Friesians made between €1.40/kg and €1.55/kg while Angus and Hereford crosses averaged at around €1.75/kg. Continentals started at €1.90/kg but once again quality lots ruled the roost and €2.30/kg up to €2.50/kg was the going rate for most R and U grading lots.

Bullocks over 600kg averaged €1.81/kg, with the best-quality lots selling for €2/kg and above.

Heifers

Store heifers weighing 400-500kg averaged €1.99/kg, with the best-quality lots regularly hitting the €2.30/kg mark and over. Plainer lots dipped down to €1.70/kg.

Forward stores in the 500-600kg weight bracket averaged €1.62/kg, while the nicest quality made €2/kg and over.

Kilkenny Mart

Commission in the mart is €12-15 to the seller and €10 to the buyer.

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.