Camera at the Mart: good organic demand in Cootehill

Cootehill Mart held its weekly general cattle sale last Friday, with over 120 animals being sold through the ring.

Trade remained steady on Friday, with a little less activity from factory agents compared with other weeks

The night began with a special organic sale, which consisted of over 70 lots of cattle and resulted in a 100% clearance. There were cattle from 200kg up to 600kg on offer.

Sample prices

A Hereford-cross heifer weighing 425kg sold for €1,420 (€3.34/kg). A Charolais-cross heifer weighing 400kg sold for €1,510 (€3.78/kg), along with a Speckle Park-cross weighing 250kg securing a price of €790 (€3.16/kg).

Bullocks also sold well, with a Limousin-cross weighing 275kg selling for €1,020 (€3.71/kg).

The general sale of cattle had slightly lower numbers of stock on offer. The sale began with the heifers, with those lighter animals between 250kg and 350kg averaging €2.90/kg.

A Limousin-cross heifer of 340kg sold for €980 (€2.88/kg), with another at 320kg gaining a bit more money and selling for €1,020 (€3.19/kg).

Cattle which were slightly heavier - between 350kg and 450kg - sold for an average of €2.83/kg, with a Limousin-cross heifer finishing at a price of €1,050 (€2.84/kg).

Weanling trade

As with other marts around the country, the weanling trade was back a little on other weeks.

Bull weanlings between 250kg and 350kg sold for €2.83/kg, such as a Limousin-cross bull weighing 265kg selling for €730 (€2.75/kg).

Heavier stock between 400kg and 500kg averaged a little less, at €2.68/kg, with a Charolais-cross bull weighing 420kg selling for €1,100 (€2.62/kg), with another of 445kg achieving €2.74/kg selling at €1,220.

There was only one cow and calf outfit on offer at Friday night’s sale, which was a 2014-born Limousin-cross cow with a one-month-old Charolais-cross heifer calf at foot which sold for a price of €1,980.

'High demand for organic'

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Cootehill Mart manager Geoffrey Drury said: “Organic cattle are in high demand, as there are farmers who have only joined the scheme and are out in search of cattle. This has been our third sale this year, with lots of interest for more sales.

"In our general sale of cattle, numbers have been dropping back in recent weeks as the weather has improved and cattle have been turned out to grass. Despite this, it has to be said that good cattle remain a good trade."