Super demand for weanling bulls in Kenmare

There was a super turnout of stock in Kenmare Mart on Thursday last for the Kerry mart's weanling bull show and sale.

Prices for continental-crosses ranged from €900 for plainer lots up to €1,875 for heavier well-muscled bulls.

An average price of €3.23/kg was paid on those weighing between 300kg and 400kg.

At the upper end of this range, bulls were making from €3.50/kg upwards, with a select few breaking €4/kg. Those prices were a good representation of the trade, with heavier bulls selling within a similar price bracket.

Lighter weanlings from 250kg to 300kg met solid demand too, with farmer buyers very active for these.

Most made from €650 to €750 with their weight, with grading potential a big determinant of where their price ended up.

Plainer lots were making between €3/kg to €3.20/kg, while at the other end of the scale, €3.70/kg to €4/kg was available.

'Great sale'

Speaking afterwards, mart manager Dan McCarthy said: “It was a great sale and we had great demand. We had right good stock too.

"There was as good a stock as we ever had for this day of the year. A lot of great-quality Charolais, Belgian Blues and Limousins and they hit top prices this week.

"It’s great to be up there taking bids when the prices are good and plenty people to bid on them.”

He also reported that there was a good spread of buyers.

"Online was very active as well as around the ring. There was a 50:50 split between the exporter and farmer buyers.

"The really good calf seemed to be going for the export job, while farmers were going more for the lighter stock to feed them on or turn them into bullocks."

While the form was good with farmers around the ring too, he added that the Department of Agriculture needs to look at doing a bit more for areas with limited farming options.

“We haven’t the land down here to go into big dairying or go into barley or wheat or anything else. We have to stick to the suckler cow or the sheep, that’s what around here is for.

"If there was a bit more of an incentive there for farmers to go back into suckler cows. We see, there's excellent-quality stock being produced and there's farmers coming down here from all over the country for the type of stock we have.

"Farmers are being rewarded for turning out good-quality stock at the moment, but while the older generation seem to be happy to stick at it, there’s no advantage or incentive for younger people.”