Kilkenny Mart: Can extraordinary high prices last?

Since I wrote in this column last Kilkenny have been beaten on the hurling field by Tipperary who went ahead and annihilated Cork in the final by a 15point margin.

We all know about the scoreboard glitch in the Kilkenny game when the hurlers on the field thought there were facing a 3 point difference as opposed to a 2 point gap.

Kilkenny scored 30 points on that day and who knows if they went for points instead of the elusive goal it could have been a much different outcome. I know this is an agricultural page and I  am not a sports journalist but hurling is a religion in the bulk of the farming communities in Kilkenny.

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We  still have a lot of the farmers who have hurled for Kilkenny in the past visiting Kilkenny Mart,  eg Paddy Prendergast, Richard O'Hara, Liam Keoghan, Ger Henderson, John Power and many more who collected a good few All Irelands hurling medals along the way.

But this picture has changed dramatically with hurling training requiring so much time that those involved in full time farming are unable to give it the time that’s required. That is why today, bar Michael Butler, farming and full time commitment to Kilkenny hurling does not suit players involved in farming.

Cattle Trade

The cattle trade has continued with its extraordinary high prices due to a great demand for all cattle be that bullocks ,heifers, cows, and bulls.

Due to the fact that we here in Kilkenny Mart are attracting good numbers this has  had the added plus of attracting new buyers who have helped to generate a buoyant trade with prices that I have never witnessed before in the commercial sales ring.

The average price for bullocks last week in Kilkenny Mart was €2100 with heifers close behind with an average of €2000 and cull cows that now have reverted back to Thursdays and averaged €1940 per head.

The question been asked are how will these prices last ? This is not easy to answer but the market will always be controlled by the supply and demand issue and at the moment there is a shortage.

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It might be no harm to remember that the disease Blue Tongue is now affecting the UK herd and if God forbid it arrived in this country it would have a big negative effect on the trade and would close down our export market.

Sheep Sales

The sheep sector is not experiencing the same vibrancy as the cattle sector and this week we saw a difficult trade for butcher and factory type lambs on our Monday sale.

Ram lambs are now been discounted so if you are selling in the mart and you have only a few ram lambs it would be more beneficial to sell them on their own and keep wether lambs and ewe lambs together.

Store lambs are selling well and many potential buyers are not as anxious to purchase rams   as opposed to  ewe lambs or wether lambs. By the way wether lambs are those who have been castrated. 

Next Monday is a Bank Holiday so our sheep and calf sale will be held on Tuesday, August 5,  instead with our General Cattle Sale on Thursdays, wwith ring 1 staring  at 10am with Cull Cows and Bulls followed by heifers with the bullock sale starting in Ring 2 at 10.30am.