Camera at the Mart: greater bite for cows and beef cattle in Fermoy

Tuesday’s general cattle sale in Cork Marts Corrin sales yard met a sharper trade, with much more bite in the buying for any slaughter-fit stock.

Dry cows experienced the greatest lift, with prices increasing by 16c/kg to 20c/kg on last week’s level.

The average price paid for cows was in the region of €2.70/kg, with the best-quality heavier Friesian cows weighing over 600kg exceeding €3/kg.

Lighter cows and those with a lower covering of flesh sold from €2.40/kg to €2.70/kg, while cows with a poor flesh cover or weighing less than 500kg liveweight sold back to €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg.

Numbers in marts have reduced sharply in the last fortnight and it was no different in Fermoy.

The entry of almost 150 head was similar to last week, but 70 to 80 head lower than the previous few weeks.

Likewise, cattle numbers – and in particular slaughter-fit cattle – were in tighter supply, with the overall sale entry of about 600 head close to halving in the last two weeks.

Mart manager Sean Leahy said the tightness in supply is inserting more competition into the trade.

Average prices for bullocks weighing 600kg-plus were steady, but the top third increased by 19c/kg to average €4.32/kg, while the bottom third was influenced by plainer-quality types and reduced by 20c/kg to average €3.51/kg.

Bullocks weighing 500kg to 600kg averaged €3.89/kg, with Angus lots selling from €3.70/kg to €4.25/kg and Friesians back to €3.50/kg. It was a similar trend for bullocks weighing 400kg to 500kg.

Heifer entries were tighter, with about 100 head offer. Prices were similar to bullocks, but with a tighter range for lots weighing 500kg to 600kg, which sold from €3.80/kg to €4.20/kg.

Those weighing 400kg to 500kg ranged from €3.29/kg for the bottom third to €4.07/kg for the top third.

Meanwhile, the trade for calves is remarkably strong, with prices for a steady entry of over 1,000 head rising by as much as €50 to €80 in last Wednesday’s sale.

The top third of bull calves averaged over €500/head, with strong Belgian Blue and Simmental calves driving the trade.

Angus calves sold anywhere from €200 to upwards of €400 depending on quality, with Friesians from €100 to €300.

The mart will hold a couple more seasonal dairy sales with demand high and prices for quality cows ranging from €2,000 to €3,000 per head.