Another busy week at Mayo marts

IT was another busy week at Balla Mart, with over 1,500 cattle sold.

Prices remain dear, especially for strong feedlot type heifers 550kg plus. Next Saturday the focus will be on breeding heifers with the special heifer breeding sale on March 8.

There were a large selection of quality heavy bullocks and anything nice were making from €3.50/kg to €4/kg, with northern factory buyers busy online.

There was a total clearance in the springers and only three misses in the dry cows.

Bullocks 300kg to 400kg averaged €3.97/kg, stores 400kg to 500kg €3.81/kg, while heavier bullocks 500kg plus averaged €3.82/kg.

A 390kg LMX bullock born June ’23 made €1,850 for a farmer from Castlebar while CHX 485kg made €2,240 for a farmer from Aughamore. A cracking 720kg CHX bullock was sold for €2,730 by a farmer from Mayo Abbey.

In the heifers, lighter stores saw the best making over €4.50/kg. Averages were: heifers 300kg to 400kg €3.87/kg, 400kg to 500kg €3.56/kg, and 500kg plus €3.89/kg.

A smashing little 285kg CHX store heifer made €1,470, sold by a farmer from Swinford. Another CHX born April ’24 and weighing 320kg made €1,600 for a Westport farmer, while a Sligo seller did well with his 455kg CHX that made €2,010.

The top price went to a beef heifer weighing 705kg that sold for €3,100 - going to a northern factory buyer.

Cows were a fine trade with those 500kg plus averaging €3.27/kg and the tops getting over €3.50/kg.

A serious April ’22 red Limousin, 660kg, with its time up, made €4,260 for a farmer from Bekan, while her comrade - a Charolais LMX - made €3,940.

In the dry cows there was an eight-year-old cow weighing 865kg that made €3,420 for a farmer from Dromore West in Sligo.

Booking this Wednesday (March 5) for the special heifer breeding sale on 0818301401.

BALLINROBE MART

February was a quick and busy month at Ballinrobe Mart, with cattle and sheep numbers increasing compared to the same period in 2024. Trade remained strong across all categories, reflecting a positive start to the year.

Bullocks reached a high of €3.95/kg, heifers peaked at €4.00/kg, cows topped at €3.53/kg, weanling bulls hit €4.36/kg and suck calves made up to €230 per head.

Last week, bullocks fetched prices from €660 to €2,680 per head, or €2.42 to €3.95 per kg. Top prices included: CHX 720kg €2,680, BAX 635kg €2,390, CHX 495kg €1,940, HEX 467kg €1,790, LMX 375kg €1,480, AAX 390kg €1,460.

Heifers achieved prices from €600 to €2,080 per head, or €2.93 to €4.00 per kg. Prices included: LM 540kg €2,080, HEX 570kg €2,020, LM 480kg €1,770, AAX 445kg €1,570, CHX 280kg €1,080, AAX 165kg €660.

Dry cows ranged from €840 to €2,510 per head, with an average of €1,710/head or €2.56/kg. Top dry cow prices were: LMX 810kg €2,860, LMX 755kg €2,330, LMX 655kg €2,090, SAX 605kg €1,930.

There was a strong trade for weanling bulls, with prices ranging from €500 to €1,640 per head, or €3.17 to €4.36/kg. The average price was €3.59/kg or €1,137/head.

Top weanling bull prices: CHX 500kg €1,640, LMX 365kg €1,400, LMX 345kg €1,370, CHX 140kg €610.

Thursday's sheep sale saw a turnout of 450 sheep that met with good trade and a 98% clearance of pens.

Lambs 20-30kg ranged from €80 to €100, with an average price of €68/hd or €2.63/kg. Lambs 31-40kg fetched between €96 and €140, equating to €2.82 to €4.09/kg, with an average of €126/hd or €3.52/kg.

Lambs 41-50kg saw prices between €145 and €196, or €3.08 to €4.00/kg, averaging €168/hd or €3.69/kg. Heavier lambs 50kg plus achieved prices from €190 to €212, translating to €3.17 to €4.16/kg, with an average of €208/hd or €3.80/kg.

Cull ewes reached from €56 to €228/hd with a 99% while in lamb ewes made from €98 to €220.

Upcoming sales include the following:

Wednesday, March 5: show and sale for bullocks and cows. Prizes for Champion of the Show, Best Bullock (1st and 2nd), Best Pair of Bullocks (1st & 2nd). Best Cow (1st and 2nd).

Wednesday, March 12: show and sale for heifers. Prizes for Champion of the Show, Best Heifer (1st and 2nd), Best Pair of Heifers (1st & 2nd).

Friday, March 14: evening weanling show and sale (6 p.m.), with prizes for Best Weanling Bull (1st and 2nd) Best Weanling Heifer (1st and 2nd), and organic sale for sheep and cattle (5 p.m.).

For bookings, call (094) 9541140.