Balla Mart pushed to capacity
THIS Saturday's sale at Balla Mart was one of the biggest ever, with the mart nearly pushed to capacity with over 1,200 cattle in the yard.
The day saw some serious trade, with a good clearance of cattle. The sale attracted buyers from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland, who commented on the numbers and the prices cattle are making considering other factors.
Bullocks 300kg to 400kg were making up to €910 plus with their weight, averaging €2.66/kg. One 390kg CHX born in June 2018 was sold by a Charlestown farmer for €1,300.
Good store bullocks 400kg to 500kg were making up to €975 with their weight and averaged €2.43/kg. The best was a 445kg CHX, born April '18, sold by the same farmer for €1,420.
Heavier bullocks 500kg plus were the same as last week and averaged €2.20/kg and were selling well because of export buyers. A farmer from Swinford had a smashing 830kg CHX bullock, born January '17, that made €1,830.
There was a much bigger sale of heifers this week, with over 500 cattle on offer. They were a better trade and well improved on last week.
Heifers up to 400kg averaged €2.42/kg. One nice BBX heifer for breeding, born September '17 and weighing 395kg, was sold by a farmer from Curry for €1,460.
Heifers 400kg to 500kg averaged €2.35/kg with one 415kg LMX heifer, born February '18, sold by the same farmer from Curry for €1,400.
Heavier heifers 500kg plus averaged €2.21/kg, the best being a smashing 575kg LMX for breeding, sold by a farmer from Aughamore for €1,600.
There were 150 cows. The best dry cow was an animal born in May '13, making €1,520, sold by a Mayo Abbey farmer. While in the springers, best was a second calfer red Limousin with a heifer calf at foot, sold by a Claremorris farmer for €1,850.
There was also a special sale of weanlings, with 300 bulls on offer. They were a fine trade, with some keen competition among bull weanling buyers.
One 470kg BBX bull weanling sold by a Charlestown farmer for export made €1,500.
Sales as normal next Saturday.
There will be a special sale of weanlings on March 18 (bank holiday Monday), for which bookings will be taken on Thursday, March 14.