Kilkenny Mart held its weekly cattle sales on Thursday (July 23), with light continentals and culls seeing the best of the trade as grass growth remained exceptionally low.
Trading was marginally smaller than last week with 680 head of cattle changing hands through the ring.
Commenting on the sale, Kilkenny Mart auctioneer George Candler described it as “a good, solid trade for high quality pieces”.
The sale saw 220 bulls weighing more than 600 kilograms pass through the ring.
With the stockyard cattle futures trade described as “sticky,” grass scarcity has also been reported to be impacting the trade.
the Category 600 kg+ Cattle saw an average price of €3.55/kg, well below last week’s €3.85/kg.
Final calls ranged from €1,820 to €4,060 for a 1,185kg Charolais bull at €3.43/kg.
Some additional prices for heavy livestock include:
- Three 800kg Limousin bulls achieved €2,950 a head at €3.69/kg;
- Three Angus bulls weighing 710kg achieved €2,660 a head at €3.75/kg;
- Three 800kg Limousin bulls achieved €2,950 a head at €3.69/kg;
- Two 685kg Aubrac bulls made €2,560 per head at €3.74 per kg;
Bulls in Category 500-600 kg Animals were the only ones to see an increase as the average price jumped by 10 cents to €3.71.
The top price of €2,700 will go to two Charolais bulls weighing 565kg sold at €4.78 per kilogram.
Other notable sales included two 500kg Limousin bulls that sold for €2,100 at €4.20/kg, and a pen of three 550kg Simmental bulls that sold for €1,950 at €3.55/kg.
the Range 400-500kg It took the biggest hit as average prices fell by 50 cents to €3.60 this week. The top result went to two Charolais bulls weighing 480kg, which achieved €2,380 a head at €4.96 per kilogram.
Some other sample prices in this category include:
- Three Belgian Blue bulls weighing 460kg sold for €1,800/head at €3.91/kg;
- Three Limousin bulls weighing 405kg achieved €2,270 a head €5.60/kg, maximum per kg.
Light shop bulls (under 400kg) The average price/kg saw a 30 cent decrease as it fell to €4.16/kg.
The top result went to two Limousin bulls weighing 390kg which sold for €2,100 at €5.38 per kilogram.
Prices for other samples in this category include:
- Two Angus bulls weighing 395kg achieved €1,500 a head at €3.80/kg;
- Three Hereford bulls weighing 290kg achieved €1,130 a head at €4.91/kg.
Commenting on the demand, Candler said there were “fewer customers for beef-type animals with a large number of offers in this sector.”
Culling of cows and calves
Culling of cows opinion Best trade With 80 cows cleared across the loop, prices for Friesian cows rose from €2.00/kg to €3.20/kg.
Intercontinental prices saw prices rise to €3.80/kg in “excellent trade”.
Cow calves Prices saw a comeback with the average falling to €3.58/kg. The highest price of €2,490 went to a 670kg Charolais cow at €3.72 per kilogram.
Some other sample prices for cow calves include:
- Two Angus heifers weighing 600kg achieved €2,070/head at €3.45/kg;
- Two Charolais heifers weighing 650kg achieved €2,400 per head at €3.69 per kilogram;
- Two Hereford heifers weighing 635kg achieved €2,200 per head at €3.46 per kilogram.
Shop calves forward It also saw a similar decline to an average of €3.52/kg. The top result went to a Charolais cow weighing 565kg which achieved €2,400 at €4.25 per kilogram.
A pen of six Angus cows, each weighing an average of 540kg, sells for €1,950 per head at €3.61 per kilogram. Three 500kg Angus heifers sold for €1,760 a head at €3.52 a kg.
Store calves lighter It fell nearly 40 cents on average to 3.67 euros per kilogram this week. The highest score went to a 360kg Charolais cow, which achieved €4.39 per kilogram, for a total of €1,580.
Two Speckle Park heifers weighing 380kg sold to €1,440/head at €3.79/kg. Five Charolais heifers, each weighing an average of 340kg, sold for €1,550 per head at €4.56 per kilogram.
