Maurice Brosnan in Gortatlea mart says his numbers this year are up by around 30pc on 12 months ago. Other mart managers report increases in the order of 20-30pc.
wo of the questions being asked in the trade are, how long this surge in numbers can last?
And should we expect reduced mart numbers when we get to the start of the serious grazing season in mid-March?
The answer appears to be that there will be enough stock to go around, but you may not necessarily get all the numbers or quality you want at the weights you want.
This is because strong feedlot and factory buying since the start of the year has pushed prices for traditional 480-570kg bullocks or heifers to levels that may make it difficult for grass finishers to justify bringing in the numbers they would like at the weights they would like.
Grazed grass may be the cheapest option when it comes to putting weight on an animal but that takes time. Even allowing for higher fertiliser costs, the real issue is that by the time they come to sell, factory prices tend to far lower than in the spring.
Mart prices are upwards of €250/hd stronger than this time last year and likely to go more once the serious buying for grass gets started.
And what happens to the value of your investment if the factories do what they did last year?
The high water mark for factory prices last summer came in June when quotes for bullocks and heifers were around €5.40/kg. By the end of August they were back at €4.85-4.90/kg and by November 1 they were down to €4.55-4.60/kg.
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While grass finishers grumbled, there was no revolt at the fact factory quotes had in effect fallen by 80-85c/hd over those five months, because those selling had bought in relatively cheaply in the spring.
At present the ringside tables show mart prices for 400-600kg continental bullocks to be up 15-27c/kg on this time last year, an increase of €90-135/hd.
Friesian bullocks of the same weight are averaging 27-30c/kg stronger — an increase of €108-180/hd — while the equivalent Hereford or Angus are up €36-37c/kg or €148-216/hd.
However, the better Hereford or Angus bullock from 400-600kg is 41c/kg stronger. This has pushed the price of those Angus and Herefords who may make the grade to collect their breed bonuses when slaughtered to €2.97/kg in the 400-600kg bracket.
That’s €1,188-1,782/hd compared to €1,080-1,536/hd this time last year, a difference of €108-246/hd.
On the heifer side, 400-600kg continental store is stronger overall by 32-34c/kg than 12 months ago at €2.84-292/kg, an increase of €128-204/hd to €1,136-1,752/hd; the top end animal in that bracket is selling for €3.14-3.15/kg or €1,260-1,884/hd.
Angus and Hereford heifers are averaging 35c/kg stronger than 12 months ago between 400-600kg, but the top-end 400-500kg animal is 41c/kg stronger at €2.92/kg — €1,168-1,460/hd. That’s an increase of €164-205/hd.
As Sgt Phil Esterhaus in the 1980s police drama Hill Street Blues always advised his officers before they hit the streets of Chicago, “Let’s be careful out there”.
In the Know – around the marts
Carnew
A stronger trade for calves saw Angus and Herefords sell for €120-305/hd, with continentals €250-400/hd.
The better shipping Friesian sold from €60-145/hd with lighter types making €30-70/hd. Heavy continental cull cows sold from €1,700-2540/hd, with continental stores €1,150-1,780/hd.
Heavy Friesians sold for €1,380-1,820/hd with lighter types €650-1,310/hd. Beef and forward continental bullocks made €1,820-2,600/hd with continental stores €1,50-1,990/hd.
Heavy Hereford and Angus bullocks made €1,550-2,020/hd, with Angus stores topping out at €1,650/hd. Heavy Friesians sold from €1,410-1,810/hd with lighter lots €350-1,070/hd.
Ballinakill
With rumours that factories might be about to attempt to pull prices, trade here steadied.
Heavy bullocks sold for €2.25-3.30/kg, with forward types €2.40-3.45/kg, while lighter stores made €2.45-3.60/kg.
Beef heifers sold for €2.55-3.45/kg, with stores €2.50-3.50/kg.
Weanling bulls made €2.10-3.40/kg, with weanling heifers €2.40-3.40/kg. A very strong trade for cull cows saw prices of €1.90-3.05/kg.
Gortatlea
Maurice Brosnan noted that factory cattle were easier by 5-10c/kg, but in general trade held well. Factory and forward continental bullocks sold from €3.00-3.50/kg, with forward Friesians €2.40-2.70/kg.
Cattle for grass were very dear, especially the under-fleshed slightly hungrier store, at €2.80-3.20/kg.
Yearling bullocks sold from €2.50-3.20/kg with “plenty of men to buy them”.
Continental bull weanlings sold from €2.80-3.80/kg.
Macroom
Another strong show of stock with trade holding. Dry cows sold from €1.75-2.58/kg with heifers making €2.50-3.00/kg.
On the bullock side continentals sold for €2.60-3.00/kg, with Hereford and Angus €2.60-2.91/kg and Friesians €2.00-2.58/kg.
Weanlings sold for €2.50-3.30/kg, while shipper type calves made up to €90/hd.
Hereford and Angus bull calves made €130-275/hd, with Hereford and Angus heifers €115-250/hd.
Continental bull calves sold to €330, with heifers topping out at 405/hd.
Cows with calves at foot made up to €2,260/unit.
Ennis
Numbers of heifers were back but the turnout of cull cows was larger than expected, which made achieving €3.00/kg more difficult for those retired ladies. Trade overall was steady, however.
Samples among the heavier heifers included two 705kg Charolais that averaged €2,300/hd, three 590kg Charolais at €1,870/hd and a 670kg Limousin at €2,060.
Among the stores, five 481kg Angus averaged €1,400/hd, with two 405kg Herefords making €1,160/hd, while a 475kg Limousin headed to pastures new at €1,460.
Blessington
Trade here was strong but there was little in the line of heavy beef on offer.
Trade was dominated by stores, with continentals ranging from €560-1,200/hd over the €/kg and Hereford and Angus €460-850/hd over the €/kg, and Friesians €330-570/hd over.
On the heifer side, continental stores made €490-1,010/hd over the €/kg, with Hereford and Angus stores €410-770/hd over.
Beef cows made €750-1,060/hd over the weight, with feeders making €350-700/hd over.
Kilkenny
A good-size sale with over 1,100 animals on offer saw many of your forward types and good stores pushing past the €3.00/kg with ease.
The general run of 600kg+ bullocks sold from €2.00-3.00/kg with a top call of €3.55kg achieved for two 620kg Charolais.
500-600kg bullocks made €2.02-3.59/kg, with those from 400-500kg selling from €1.95-3.19/kg, while lighter stores made €1.80-3.55/kg.
Beef heifers made €2.40-3.20/kg, with forward stores €2.40-3.15/kg. Lighter heifers made €1.85-3.0/kg.
On the cull cow side, Friesians sold for €1.25-2.50/kg with continentals €1.65-3.05/kg.
Baltinglass
A strong trade all round included a selection of 685-715/kg bullocks at €1,760-1,900/hd, with the best of the Limousin heifers from 535-610kgs selling for €1,480-1,830/hd.
Heavy cows sold from €1,250-1,650/hd.
