Latest news with #KilkennyMart
Agriland
25-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Up to €4.88/kg paid for heavy bullocks at Kilkenny Mart
There were 500 cattle on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Thursday, May 23, with as high as €4.88/kg paid for heavy bullocks at the sale. Commenting on the trade, auctioneer George Chandler noted that there were a smaller number of cattle on offer this week but said: 'Trade remains very strong, with more animals than ever exceeding €3,000/head. The Kilkenny Mart auctioneer said that this trend indicates that 'more beef-type cattle are being offered for sale in the marts'. The highest price in the bullock ring was €3,780, which was paid on two occasions in the sale. An 840kg Simmental bullock fetched the price as well as a pair of Charolais bullocks averaging 775kg each. In the heifer ring, a 715kg Charolais heifer made the top price of €3,500. Bullocks over 600kg averaged €4.10/kg, with bullocks from 500-600kg averaging €4.05/kg. In the lighter weight categories, bullocks from 400-500kg averaged €4.03/kg and bullocks below 400kg averaged €4.23/kg. Sample prices included three Angus bullocks with an average weight of 365kg that sold for €1,610/head or €4.41/kg. Beef heifers at the Kilkenny Mart sale averaged €4.10/kg in the sale, with forward-store heifers averaging €4.31/kg and light store heifers averaging €4.15/kg. Sample heifer prices included two Limousin heifers with an average weight of 690kg that sold for €4.67/kg or €3,220/head. Another entry of five Charolais heifers with an average weight of 530kg sold for €4.47/kg or €2,370/head. Three Hereford heifers with an average weight of 370kg sold for €4.05/kg or €1,500/head, while two Friesian heifers averaging 440kg sold for €3.84/kg or €1,590/head. There were 120 cows on offer in the sale and the lower-grading cull cows sold from €0.80c/kg to €2.40/kg, with better-type Friesians making from €2.70-€3.60/kg. Continental-bred cull cows at the sale at Kilkenny Mart made from €2.80-€4.59/kg, with a top price in the cull cow ring of €4,020.
Agriland
12-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Sheep trade: Cull ewe trade the highlight as hoggets cut
This week's sheep trade sees cull ewe prices remain firm while hogget prices has been cut and spring lamb prices has also been cut at one outlet but held at other outlets. With the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha approaching on Friday, June 6, which is just over three weeks away, there had been some hope that hogget and lamb prices would see a rise this week as the festival traditionally sees a spike in lamb demand. Approximately 20c/kg has been cut from hogget prices, with the spring-lamb price generally more steady for now and the cull-ewe trade remaining as strong as ever. Farmers have told Agriland the top prices available this week are €9.20/kg for spring lambs, €8.60/kg for hoggets, and €5.90/kg and above in cases for cull ewes. This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €9.00/kg plus a 20c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs leaving €9.20/kg on offer here again this week. The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlet is quoting €8.30/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, leaving €8.50/kg on offer here. This price is back 20c/kg from last week. ICM is quoting €5.50/kg for cull ewes. Kepak is quoting €8.95/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21kg carcase weight leaving €9.10/kg on offer here. The Athleague, Co. Roscommon site is quoting €8.15/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for hoggets up to 23kg carcass weight, leaving €8.30/kg on offer here. Kepak is quoting €5.50-5.60/kg for cull ewes. Kildare Chilling has no official quotes for this week. Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €5.60/kg for cull ewes and €8.60/kg for hoggets. Sheep kill figures Just over 730,000 sheep have been slaughtered this year as of Sunday, May 4, according to the latest Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) sheep kill figures. This year's overall sheep kill is down 17% or 148,000 head on last year with the hogget kill down 124,000 head or 16%. The cull ewe/ram kill is down 34% or 29,000 head and the spring lamb kill is up 4,700 head to 24,000. Sheep trade at Kilkenny Mart The sheep trade at Kilkenny Mart today (Monday, May 12) was described as 'disappointing' by auctioneer George Candler, with spring lamb prices reducing by at least €15/head compared to last week. Candler said the price trend is 'not a great advert for the expansion of the sheep flock. ''The lack of interest from factories will not encourage sheep producers to increase numbers and not many young farmers are showing much interest,' he added. The top call in the sheep sale at Kilkenny today was €213 for a pen of 57kg spring lambs. Spring lambs made from €3.45-4.10/kg or €180-213/head. Sample prices included €205/head for a pen of 50kg spring lambs and €188/head for a pen of 47kg spring lambs. Factory lambs made from €140-188/head with a pen of 44kg lambs making €181/head and a pen of 35kg lambs making €142/head. Hoggets made from €160-205/head with 20 hoggets with an average weight of 66kg selling for €202/head. Cull ewes made from €90-320/head.
Agriland
03-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Mart report: Heavy cattle prices increase at Kilkenny
There were 600 cattle on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Thursday, May 1, with 'an excellent trade all round', according to auctioneer George Candler. Commenting on the trade, Candler said: 'Some of the lots were up by €100-150/head on last weeks' returns', which he said is a 'strange situation when we hear of factories reducing quotes'. The main reason for the better returns were the smaller numbers on offer, with the average price for the 600 cattle sold settling at €1,829/head. Last week, the average sale price settled at €1,534. Candler noted that there were more beef-types on offer at this week's sale, which he said 'suggests that farmers have decided to try the mart instead of the factories and are happy with that decision'. Bullocks over 600kg averaged €4.11/kg with some notable prices including two Charolais bullocks weighing 743kg each selling for €3,360 or €4.52/kg. Nine Friesian bullocks averaging 600kg sold for €2,330 or €3.88/kg while two Angus bullocks weighing 620kg sold for €2,700 or €4.35/kg. Bullocks from 500-600kg averaged €4.09/kg or €2,280/head, with two 505kg Limousin bullocks selling for €2,010/head or €3.98/kg. 400-500kg bullocks at Kilkenny Mart averaged €4.08/kg or €1,852/head and bullocks under 400kg averaged €4.14/kg or €1,293/head. Four Angus bullocks weighing 495kg sold for €4.42/kg or €2,190/head. A pen of four lighter Angus bullocks weighing 295kg sold for €4.34/kg or €1,280/head. Friesian cull cows sold for €1.90-€3.40/kg depending on quality, and continental cull cows sold for anything from €2.70-3.80/kg. Light store heifers averaged €3.80/kg, with four Charolais heifers weighing 345kg each averaging €1,420 or €4.12/kg. Four Angus heifers weighing 305kg made €1,200 or €3.93/kg. Forward store heifers at Kilkenny Mart averaged €4.18/kg, and beef heifers averaged €4.15/kg. Heavy heifer prices included €2,740 or €4.61/kg for two 595kg Belgian Blue heifers. Up to €5.05/kg was paid for a 550kg Limousin heifer that made €2,780.
