Castlerea Mart Report
A large entry of stock was presented at Castlerea Mart last Thursday as part of its annual show and sale of Aberdeen Angus heifers.
With extra farmers buying and improved weather, there was a good demand and prices were slightly improved on higher quality lots with plainer lots remaining harder to sell.
In the weanling classes, heifers saw an improvement of €20-€30 with bulls boasting strong export activity seeing a good clearance.
Sample prices for heifers: Ch – 390kgs €975, 410kgs €1085, 480kgs €1170. Lm –500kgs €1200, 530kgs €1205, 590kgs €1300. AAX – 420kgs €1065. AA – 485kgs €1190.
Dry cows went for between €1415 for 815kgs and €1285 for 715kgs while cows with calves at foot made from €1080 and €1710. Springers made from €1000 to €1500.
Sample prices for weanling bulls: Lm 290kgs €910, Ch 260kgs €875, Ch 370kgs €1055, Ch 300kgs €1000, Ch 275kgs €1015. Weanling heifers: Ch 270kgs €945, Ch 280kgs €870, Ch 330kgs €965, Ch 330kgs €955, Sim 240kgs €890.
There were increased numbers for last Monday week’s bullock sale at Castlerea’s annual show and sale of Aberdeen Angus bullocks, with lots making from €300 to €800 and an average of €535 over paid with prices seeing an improvement for the top quality lots on offer.
Sample prices for bullocks: Ch – 540kgs €1310. AA – 505kgs €1275, 520kgs €1260, 590kgs €1390, 550kgs €1300, 470kgs €1255, 625kgs €1420.
Price watch
Manager of Castlerea Mart, Brendan Egan, told the Roscommon People that the recent good weather has seen a noticeable improvement in numbers brought in for sale.
“In fairness, the recent improvement in the weather has helped things. Quality cattle are holding but plainer cattle are still harder sold,” he said.
He added, however, that the price of sterling has had a negative impact on trade: “Sterling hasn’t helped, but the numbers have increased overall. You can also see a lot of silage cut around the place, which is good to see at this stage – better late than never! If we can continue to get the dry weather it will certainly help.”
Roscommon Mart Report
Cattle prices – There was another large entry of top quality cattle on offer at last Friday’s sale which included a special sale of bullocks. There was a firm trade for quality bullocks with prices averaging from €2.25 per kilo up to €2.99 per kilo. Prices for plainer type lots and older cattle were easier again this week. There was a stable trade for heifers with a price range of €2.13 per kilo up to €2.57 per kilo. There was a good entry of dry cows on offer with prices averaging from €1.35 per kilo up to €1.77 per kilo.
The mart will host a special sale of heifers tomorrow (Friday 14th) at 11 am. There will also be an extra harvest special sale of bullocks next Friday (21st) at 11 am. There will also be a special sale for breeding heifers next Friday.
Dry cows made from €700 to €1460 per lot. Sample prices: Lim x 730 kgs €1260, Simm X 750 kgs €1210, Lim 675 kgs €1150, Char X 720 kgs €1145, Simm X 680 kgs €1060, FRX 605 kgs €735.
Heifers made from €315 to €700 over. Sample prices: Lim 675 kgs €1350, Simm X 610 kgs €1250, AAX 520 kgs €1100, Char 445 kgs €1100, Lim X 445 kgs €1080, Char X 420 kgs €1080, Char X 395 kgs €990, Char X 400 kgs €970, AAX 390 kgs €820, Lim X 380 kgs €900, 2 Lim X 362 kgs €900, SAX 410 kgs €950.
Bullocks made from €345 to €1010 over. Sample prices: Char 625 kgs €1600, Char X 590 kgs €1600, Lim X 560 kgs €1555, BBX 540 kgs €1525, 2 Char X 545 kgs €1525, 4 Char X 555 kgs €1510, Char X 530 kgs €1485, Lim X 485 kgs €1380, Lim X 495 kgs €1355, 3 Char X 427 kgs €1200, Char X & Lim X 470 kgs €1345, AAX 595 kgs €1260, AAX 520 kgs €1110, Simm X 580 kgs €1245, Char x 490 kgs €1205, BAX 420 kgs €920, Lim X 490 KGS €1110, Char X 460 kgs €1200, Char X 625 kgs €1600.
Weanlings and suckler cows: There were large numbers on offer again this week. There was steady trade for weanling heifers in particular for quality lots. Again this week the plainer type heifer was more difficult to sell. Prices for weanling heifers ranged from €2.52 per kilo up to €3.82. There was a better trade for weanling bulls with prices averaging from €2.51 per kilo up to €3.29 per kilo. Springer Cows averaged from €1000 up to €1700.
There will be a show and sale of weanlings next Tuesday (18th) at 5 pm. There will also be 46 outstanding Limousin springing heifers in calf to easy calving A.I. Limousin 5 Star Bull (ZAG) at 6 pm.
Weanling heifers made from €310 to €875 over. Sample prices: Char X 310 kgs €1185, Char X 370 kgs €1085,
Simm 300 kgs €850, Char X 295 kgs €835, Lim X 355 kgs €800, Simm x 300 kgs €810, Hex 305 kgs €785, Lim X 255 kgs €735, Char X 270 kgs €735, Lim X 250 kgs €720, Char X 220 kgs €600.
Weanling bulls made from €330 to €825 over. Sample prices: BBX 440 kgs €1270, Lim X 415 kgs €1200,
Char X 400 kgs €1160, Char X 360 kgs €1110, Char 340 kgs €1035, BBX 375 kgs €980, Char X 345 kgs €980, Char 320 kgs €950, AAX 420 kgs €950, Char X 310 kgs €930,Simm X 360 kgs €895, SHX 340kgs €870, Char X 280 kgs €870. Springing heifers made from €1000 up to €1700.
Sheep Sale: We had a smaller entry of lambs for sale this week. There were excellent quality ewe lambs on offer with a top price of €115. There was a strong demand for store lambs. There was a slight dip in trade for the finished lambs with lambs making as high as €105. There was a better trade for cast ewes. Sales continue each Wednesday at 11 am for lambs and cast ewes. Please note that ewe lambs will be sold separately.
Sample prices for mixed lambs: 55.20kgs €105, 60kgs €105, 48.10kgs €103, 53.2kgs €103, 53.8kgs €101.50, 51.2kgs €101, 49.2 kgs €100.
Store lambs: 42.5kgs €89, 46.40kgs €89, 41.2kgs €88.50, 40kgs €88, 44.9kgs €87, 41.5kgs €84.50, 40.9kgs €84.5, 45 kgs €82, 38.2kgs €72.
Ewe lambs: 53.80kgs €115, 51.20kgs €114.5, 52.60kgs €113, 50.1kgs €111, 51.30kgs €109, 52.40kgs €106, 47.60kgs €102, 44.50kgs €101, 47.8kgs €100, 44.90kgs €100, 42.90kgs €100 45.30kgs €96.50, 47.90kgs €95. Cast ewes made from €32 to €126 per lot.
