Bullocks top €1640 at Delvin

Prices improved by up to €100 a head on the previous week at Delvin mart last Thursday, according to auctioneer, Thomas Potterton.

He said there was keen competition for all classes of cattle both online and in the ring.

Now that the Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed for livestock marts, a limited number of buyers are permitted into the ring and they have the option of bidding on their phones and laptops, or in the traditional way.

Mr Potterton said that their online platform is compatible with ringside bidding.

The lighter store bullocks made well in excess of €2 a kilo and two Limousin bullocks, 410kg, made €830.

Although prices for lighter cattle included two Limousins 423kg at €890, two Limousins 450kg at €780 and one Limousin 480 at €790.

The medium store bullocks made up to €181 per hundred kilos recorded for a 545kg lot sold at €990.

The heavier bullocks peaked at €208 a kilo, recorded for a nice Angus scaling 595kg and changing hands at €1240.

There was a big entry of heavy bullocks and in keen competition prices peaked at €215 per hundred kilos recorded for a 610kg Limousin sold at €1310.

The very heavy bullocks peaked at €237 per hundred kilos, recorded for two Limousins scaling 693kg, sold at €1640.

The heifer trade was described by the auctioneers as extremely brisk and 300kg to 400kg animals made from €180 up to €230 per hundred kilos, recorded for a 365kg Belgian Blue, changing hands at €840.

Four nice Limousins, scaling 380kg, sold at €740 and three Angus scaling 348kg sold at €370. The 400-500kg category peaked at €195 recorded for three Angus scaling 487kg and selling at €950.

The heavy heifers also met strong demand and prices peaked at €236 per hundred kilos, recorded for a 660kg Charolais sold at €1560.

Another nice Charolais at 770kg changed hands at €1630; one Limousin 600kg €1290, one Limousin 600kg €1120.

There was a complete clearance of a good entry of dry cows, and prices included: one Limousin 775kg €1240, one Charolais 770kg €1190, one Hereford 705kg €1070.

Lighter lots made: one Charolais 495kg €830, one Friesian 460kg €710, one Jersey cross 460kg €610.

Sheep trade

Mr Potterton said there was a good entry of sheep, brisk selling trade and a complete clearance. Store lambs made from €90 to €98 a head and averaged €248.10 per hundred kilos.

Factory lambs were strongly contested and prices peaked at €125, recorded for a pen of 11 lambs at 44kilos. Another pen of 12 lambs, also scaled at 44kg, sold at €110.

In general the factory lambs made from €96 a head to €125.

There was strong demand for heavier lambs and some recorded were: three lambs 55kg €124.50, four lambs 48kg €123,seven lambs 62kg €101. There was an excellent demand for a small number of ewes with lambs at foot and one very nice pen of three ewes with six lambs fetched €252, while two ewes with two lambs changed hands at €220.