Buyers are back ringside at Kilkenny Mart

Yesterday, for the first time in many months, potential buyers and sellers appeared ringside.

It was nice to see faces instead of rows and rows of empty blue seats. Bidding ringside will work in tandem with online activity which was very limited in the sheep sector on Monday but those hoping to secure dairy stock were more adventurous online.

Prices for lambs were well maintained. Butcher and factory type spring lambs ranged from €150 to €174 per head with cull ewes from €70 to €175 per head.

There were a limited number of fresh calved Fr cows and heifers saw prices range from €1200 to €1900 per head.

Our weekly calf sale continues every Tuesday until further notice prices for Friesian bulls range from €70 to €170 per head continental bulls and heifers saw a top call of €300 with AA calves also in demand with bulls to €300 and heifers to €280 per head.

Remember if you have calves to sell they should be entered by 3.30pm on the previous Monday.

Cattle Trade

The cattle trade remains very firm for beef types and forward stores with the continental types in this category ranging from €2.35 to €2.60 per kilo with an exceptional lots in excess of €2.70 per kilo.

Even forward store and beef type Friesian bullocks are in demand with the bulk ranging from €1.80 to €2.20 per kilo. AA types are also popular with demand in all categories.

It has been noticeable in the past few weeks that plain stores are more difficult to sell. There are a few reasons for this firstly the lack of grass and also the poor weather which has made ground conditions challenging. We need a prolonged spell of settled weather with a rise in temperatures and sunshine. The prospect of this happening in the immediate future looks remote but hopefully the old adage that A Wet and Windy May fills the barns with corn and hay will prevail.

As I mentioned last week normal activity is slowly returning to livestock marts which may encourage a lot of farmers who were isolated to start mixing again in a safe environment. All people who are at ringside must wear face masks and keep the required social distance.

Until next time do be careful on the farm and good buying, good selling and good luck.