Mart Price Tracker

Hard Knocks · 20-03-2020 10:23pm

Sugarbowl wrote: »

Anyone go to a mart the past week? How are weanling continental heifers going at the moment? Is it wiser to sell away or hold for another month?

Was out last Saturday, back €100-150 compared to previous week
White CH’s 350kg - €900, 320kg - €850

Grueller · 20-03-2020 10:36pm

What are continental cull cows making at the moment lads. I have one almost finished, a few real good feeding cows and one thinnish. Roughly per kilo?

tanko · 20-03-2020 11:27pm

Grueller wrote: »

What are continental cull cows making at the moment lads. I have one almost finished, a few real good feeding cows and one thinnish. Roughly per kilo?

They were touching €2/KG a month ago. They're back a good bit on that now i think.

Siamsa Sessions · 21-03-2020 11:19am

davidk1394 wrote: »

Any prices on AA heifers ? I've a few black and red ones here, thinking of selling them there in the next week or so. I'll be weighing them there over the weekend.

About 1.80-1.90 per kg.

How many have you? Or where in the country are you based?

I might be looking for a few like that in the next 2-3 weeks

valtra2 · 29-03-2020 12:39am

Rough what price per kg are good quality lim heifers and bullocks 400kg spring 19. Thanks

DukeCaboom · 29-03-2020 7:37am

valtra2 wrote: »

Rough what price per kg are good quality lim heifers and bullocks 400kg spring 19. Thanks

A friend gave €700 with the weight but these were top shelf and out wintered.

DukeCaboom · 29-03-2020 10:30am

DukeCaboom wrote: »

A friend gave €700 with the weight but these were top shelf and out wintered.

Would be a shake heavier than 400kg do.

grassroot1 · 29-03-2020 11:37am

Saturday week in carnew
436 kg E970
422KG E910
390KG E860
387KG E880
415KG E890
339KG E 790
All ch heifers by AI sires. Good or bad I dont know might be of use to buyers/sellers

Cavanjack · 17-04-2020 10:09pm

Anyone buying continental weanling/yearling bulls? See some on DoneDeal looking crazy money.

Albert Johnson · 17-04-2020 11:05pm

Cavanjack wrote: »

Anyone buying continental weanling/yearling bulls? See some on DoneDeal looking crazy money.

I'm in the market for some for a few summer grazer customers but they seem scarce enough in this part of the North West. I agree about the crazy prices, I was asked €850 a piece for 3 very mixed quality mousey coloured CHx bull's about 320kg average last night, safe to say I politely declined. A neighbor bought 3 well muscled CHx and LMx bull's through the mart last night 400kg @ €930 a piece.

I went to look at a few LMx and Saler type weanlings this morning. A mixture of black's and red's about 280-300kg and very middle of the road type suckler stock. There very storey though and just out of the shed so should thrive. He asked €750 a piece and I'm thinking there too dear at it but have a few fella's getting exciting about not having stock bought. Would they still be too dear at €700?

Bass Reeves · 17-04-2020 11:49pm

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I'm in the market for some for a few summer grazer customers but they seem scarce enough in this part of the North West. I agree about the crazy prices, I was asked €850 a piece for 3 very mixed quality mousey coloured CHx bull's about 320kg average last night, safe to say I politely declined. A neighbor bought 3 well muscled CHx and LMx bull's through the mart last night 400kg @ €930 a piece.

I went to look at a few LMx and Saler type weanlings this morning. A mixture of black's and red's about 280-300kg and very middle of the road type suckler stock. There very storey though and just out of the shed so should thrive. He asked €750 a piece and I'm thinking there too dear at it but have a few fella's getting exciting about not having stock bought. Would they still be too dear at €700?

IMO it all goes back to what the market returns at present. A friend killed some a few weeks back they averaged 1400 euro at 350DW R+'s. Any way you do the sumes kill out of the shed next winter at a base of 3.6/kg at 380DW is 1466 euro before deductions. What will a 400kg bullock make in August this year say prices remain at 3.4 base an R+ bullock will make 1440 euro.

What will either of these men pay for stores in October/November. I do Friesians a 330kg DW O-/P+ bullock is looking at 1050 euro for this summer at present. I be stopping bidding on a 400kg Fr store at around 450 euro in August/September and the same for a 450kg one in October/November. It a case of working away from there Albert.

I just cannot see how the numbers add up if present prices continue it will be a massacere in the autumn. I bought 2 450 kg nice fleshy whitish CH for 850 last August. I taught they had to leave a nice touch. Killing 400kgs in August at present prices sees them at 1450 euro they will be ok at that. 20c/kg extra sees them at 80 euro more but at present prices it will take a good bullock to break 1250 euro in the traditional breeds and few Contintental bullock will break 1500 euro

Albert Johnson · 18-04-2020 12:29am

Bass Reeves wrote: »

IMO it all goes back to what the market returns at present. A friend killed some a few weeks back they averaged 1400 euro at 350DW R+'s. Any way you do the sumes kill out of the shed next winter at a base of 3.6/kg at 380DW is 1466 euro before deductions. What will a 400kg bullock make in August this year say prices remain at 3.4 base an R+ bullock will make 1440 euro.

What will either of these men pay for stores in October/November. I do Friesians a 330kg DW O-/P+ bullock is looking at 1050 euro for this summer at present. I be stopping bidding on a 400kg Fr store at around 450 euro in August/September and the same for a 450kg one in October/November. It a case of working away from there Albert.

I just cannot see how the numbers add up if present prices continue it will be a massacere in the autumn. I bought 2 450 kg nice fleshy whitish CH for 850 last August. I taught they had to leave a nice touch. Killing 400kgs in August at present prices sees them at 1450 euro they will be ok at that. 20c/kg extra sees them at 80 euro more but at present prices it will take a good bullock to break 1250 euro in the traditional breeds and few Contintental bullock will break 1500 euro

Superb insight as usual Bass. I'd say working back to the current viable price for the cattle above would make for fairly dismal reading. There probably a complete waste of time as regards leaving profit but if they covered there costs, ate the grass and satisfied the payment stocking density then it would be a reasonably successful venture. The men that want those cattle will continue to do what they've always done simply because they can.

As another poster mentioned during the week the majority of beef farmer's will never be put on the poverty line because of the cattle trade. I know most of my customers are older males with sufficient means and little outgoings. I remember a bachelor neighbor giving out to my father for selling cattle cheap year's ago at the mart. My father who had a young family and lots of expenses at the time told the same man that he needed the money and couldn't hold out any longer. The other man had only himself to look after and seemingly never considered that cash crisis would sometimes force other people's hand.

Hard Knocks · 18-04-2020 1:19am

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I'm in the market for some for a few summer grazer customers but they seem scarce enough in this part of the North West. I agree about the crazy prices, I was asked €850 a piece for 3 very mixed quality mousey coloured CHx bull's about 320kg average last night, safe to say I politely declined. A neighbor bought 3 well muscled CHx and LMx bull's through the mart last night 400kg @ €930 a piece.

I went to look at a few LMx and Saler type weanlings this morning. A mixture of black's and red's about 280-300kg and very middle of the road type suckler stock. There very storey though and just out of the shed so should thrive. He asked €750 a piece and I'm thinking there too dear at it but have a few fella's getting exciting about not having stock bought. Would they still be too dear at €700?

I presume these bullocks are for summer grazing and to lift the payments
Bigger question is which will be worth more or lose the least at resale

An old neighbour who summer grazed use to say The day you buy is the day you sell

Bass Reeves · 18-04-2020 8:19am

Albert Johnson wrote: »

Superb insight as usual Bass. I'd say working back to the current viable price for the cattle above would make for fairly dismal reading. There probably a complete waste of time as regards leaving profit but if they covered there costs, ate the grass and satisfied the payment stocking density then it would be a reasonably successful venture. The men that want those cattle will continue to do what they've always done simply because they can.

As another poster mentioned during the week the majority of beef farmer's will never be put on the poverty line because of the cattle trade. I know most of my customers are older males with sufficient means and little outgoings. I remember a bachelor neighbor giving out to my father for selling cattle cheap year's ago at the mart. My father who had a young family and lots of expenses at the time told the same man that he needed the money and couldn't hold out any longer. The other man had only himself to look after and seemingly never considered that cash crisis would sometimes force other people's hand.

In reality its about buying the animal that will lever the least negative margin. These lads would never look at Fr's stores but I expect that you will buy 250 kgs ones for sub 350 over the next few week. If you got them to 480-500 kgs at a euro/kg they will leave a small positive margin. IMO the middle of the road store is about the best option to lads that want to but contentintal type cattle. Animals like those salers and LMX. If you can but at 2.2-2.5/kg grass lads will buy them for next summer at 1.6-1.8/kg no matter what happens. The only thing is such cattle can be a bit nutty

What ever else keep away from AA's

Hard Knocks wrote: »

I presume these bullocks are for summer grazing and to lift the payments
Bigger question is which will be worth more or lose the least at resale

An old neighbour who summer grazed use to say The day you buy is the day you sell

Funny I bout the rag this week. there is a lad above in Mayo finishing Contentintal type cattle BSing about better type cattle. If you cannot finish a good one you cannot finish a bad one. He on about suckler farmers being necessary after exiting it himself. The journalists form the IFJ must get a hard on taking to these guys. You never see them interviewing a lad finishing a few plain bullocks off grass

Albert Johnson · 18-04-2020 8:39am

Hard Knocks wrote: »

I presume these bullocks are for summer grazing and to lift the payments
Bigger question is which will be worth more or lose the least at resale

An old neighbour who summer grazed use to say The day you buy is the day you sell

There a mixture of summer grazers and men who will carry through to forward store's to sell this time next year. Yes keeping down the grass and enabling them to draw the payments are the biggest requirements. I'm limited to buying continental type stock (there preference not mine) so it's a case of buying the best value I can and hoping for a good thrive and a reasonable live trade in the autumn and into next spring.

I'm often told the above quote and used to think it refered to qualify over everything else but as I've gotten older I'm not so sure. I've come to the conclusion that most of the hard work is done the day you buy and depends on whether or not you buy value. Yes management has a part to play through the process but if stock are too dear from the outset your usually onto a looser from the beginning.

Siamsa Sessions · 18-04-2020 8:41am

The insights on here are unreal - thanks.

I’m looking for 6-8 yearlings at the moment. Still building sheep and calf numbers so have extra ground that I won’t get to graze this year. Sold silage off it last year but the ground needs lime and don’t want to take more silage off it this year.

Small numbers I know and it’ll be just summer grazing as I won’t be keeping them past November. A neighbour mentioned HE or AA heifers and finishing them in Nov or Dec, but they seem dear at the moment.

Any other recommendations?

The colour of them doesn’t bother me a jot!

Albert Johnson · 18-04-2020 8:54am

Bass Reeves wrote: »

In reality its about buying the animal that will lever the least negative margin. These lads would never look at Fr's stores but I expect that you will buy 250 kgs ones for sub 350 over the next few week. If you got them to 480-500 kgs at a euro/kg they will leave a small positive margin. IMO the middle of the road store is about the best option to lads that want to but contentintal type cattle. Animals like those salers and LMX. If you can but at 2.2-2.5/kg grass lads will buy them for next summer at 1.6-1.8/kg no matter what happens. The only thing is such cattle can be a bit nutty

What ever else keep away from AA's

Funny I bout the rag this week. there is a lad above in Mayo finishing Contentintal type cattle BSing about better type cattle. If you cannot finish a good one you cannot finish a bad one. He on about suckler farmers being necessary after exiting it himself. The journalists form the IFJ must get a hard on taking to these guys. You never see them interviewing a lad finishing a few plain bullocks off grass

It's all a trade off between buying stock that a reasonably priced, pleasing to look at, docile and that will thrive and hopefully leave a margin of a few hundred between purchase and sale depending on the length there retained. I try not to get to hung up on breed myself and would chance anything at what looked a right price but a lot of lad's won't entertain FRx in this part of the world. I liked the LMx and Saler's as there good growthy cattle with potential but the first reaction I got upon mentioning them was that they'd be wild. As for AAx I was never that gone on them because they're usually over priced to start with and can be disappointing type stock as regards thrive.

I saw the headline you quoted but didn't read the full article. It did strike me as a strange statement on his behalf and one that's very hard to justify. He seemed to be another fancy cattle fanatic congratulating himself on all his and other like minded individuals hard work. Apart from maybe the real screws of JEx or similar there has to be a twist out of nearly everything if bought at the right price. This is where the problems arise because oftentimes someone else has to lose for you to gain. However I never saw the difference in taking for example a FRx store from €700 to €1000 as opposed to a CHx from €900 to €1200. Some lads will do anything to justify there good suckler cattle over the "bad" inferior dairy bred stock.

Bass Reeves · 18-04-2020 9:06am

Albert Johnson wrote: »

There a mixture of summer grazers and men who will carry through to forward store's to sell this time next year. Yes keeping down the grass and enabling them to draw the payments are the biggest requirements. I'm limited to buying continental type stock (there preference not mine) so it's a case of buying the best value I can and hoping for a good thrive and a reasonable live trade in the autumn and into next spring.

I'm often told the above quote and used to think it refered to qualify over everything else but as I've gotten older I'm not so sure. I've come to the conclusion that most of the hard work is done the day you buy and depends on whether or not you buy value. Yes management has a part to play through the process but if stock are too dear from the outset your usually onto a looser from the beginning.

There are two factors that come into play to make a profit. There has to be a margin on the animal the day you buy. After than the efficiency of your system( this is not about driving output with ration) where you maximise gain as cheap as possible ( in my case off grass) and targeted marketing by trying to maximize price by hitting price high pints. For example this year there is no rush finishing cattle for May/June hard to see inspec cattle falling down towards 3/kg for all the wild talk about it. Cows are questionable

Albert what price are Fr cull cows at present. Its in regard to Siamsa question above. Would you buy a few FR culls at 60-80c/kg??

Albert Johnson · 18-04-2020 9:31am

Bass Reeves wrote: »

There are two factors that come into play to make a profit. There has to be a margin on the animal the day you buy. After than the efficiency of your system( this is not about driving output with ration) where you maximise gain as cheap as possible ( in my case off grass) and targeted marketing by trying to maximize price by hitting price high pints. For example this year there is no rush finishing cattle for May/June hard to see inspec cattle falling down towards 3/kg for all the wild talk about it. Cows are questionable

Albert what price are Fr cull cows at present. Its in regard to Siamsa question above. Would you buy a few FR culls at 60-80c/kg??

I agree with all the above points, as with most things in life it's about working to your strengths and minimising exposure to your weaknesses. In my own situation here in the North West I'm limited by what's average quality land for the region. I try to buy value wherever possible but it's the cost involved in keeping stock that's the real killer imo. In particular wintering costs, a 5 month winter is somewhat optimistic unless your prepared to run a very low stocking rate (this might not be an all bad idea). Finishing cattle locally would be mostly limited to either easily fleshed traditional breed heifers and smaller bullocks or cull cow's. Trying to fatten most continental or harder dairy type stock without feeding large amounts of meal would be a significant issue imo.

As for the cow trade there wouldn't be much FRx culls available due to the lack of dairy farming but I'd imagine they'd be more like 70c to a euro a kilo and maybe slightly more locally. Suckler type culls are currently €1.20-1.50 a kilo for average type cow's. I've always considered feeding cull cow's over suckling or store's as there probably the best beef stock for average type land.

To answer your question regarding Siamsa's query I'd gamble a few youngish straight culls at 60-80c a kilo if they could be sourced within a reasonable distance. However again I doubt that you'd buy middle of the road type cow's at those prices locally. My biggest concerns with culls in a trading situation would be Tb, mastitis, lameness and associated ill thrive. A certain percentage proving incalf could also become a potential issue depending on your preference. A lot of lad's in the summer grazing or store game want convenience and are prepared to pay for a nice continental bullock that will provide this.

Bass Reeves · 18-04-2020 9:43am

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I agree with all the above points, as with most things in life it's about working to your strengths and minimising exposure to your weaknesses. In my own situation here in the North West I'm limited by what's average quality land for the region. I try to buy value wherever possible but it's the cost involved in keeping stock that's the real killer imo. In particular wintering costs, a 5 month winter is somewhat optimistic unless your prepared to run a very low stocking rate (this might not be an all bad idea). Finishing cattle locally would be mostly limited to either easily fleshed traditional breed heifers and smaller bullocks or cull cow's. Trying to fatten most continental or harder dairy type stock without feeding large amounts of meal would be a significant issue imo.

As for the cow trade there wouldn't be much FRx culls available due to the lack of dairy farming but I'd imagine they'd be more like 70c to a euro a kilo and maybe slightly more locally. Suckler type culls are currently €1.20-1.50 a kilo for average type cow's. I've always considered feeding cull cow's over suckling or store's as there probably the best beef stock for average type land.

To answer your question regarding Siamsa's query I'd gamble a few youngish straight culls at 60-80c a kilo if they could be sourced within a reasonable distance. However again I doubt that you'd buy middle of the road type cow's at those prices locally. My biggest concerns with culls in a trading situation would be Tb, mastitis, lameness and associated ill thrive. A certain percentage proving incalf could also become a potential issue depending on your preference. A lot of lad's in the summer grazing or store game want convenience and are prepared to pay for a nice continental bullock that will provide this.

Siamsa is down the Tipperary direction If I remember right. For something that will finish a few culls at present. For something that will sell in the autumn it a case of what ever is value a storish yearling taht will put on weight and is cheap to buy. Usually that is a friesian yearling bull some lad is too lazy to squeeze that you buy at 300kg+ for 1-1.2/kg. ( if there was a mart at present lads would fall off them at that price)

tellmeabit · 18-04-2020 9:47am

Anyone following the online marts. I see Gortatlea is online this morning

Albert Johnson · 18-04-2020 9:49am

tellmeabit wrote: »

Anyone following the online marts. I see Gortatlea is online this morning

Drumshanbo is streaming the organic sale today to the best of my knowledge.

Albert Johnson · 18-04-2020 9:54am

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Siamsa is down the Tipperary direction If I remember right. For something that will finish a few culls at present. For something that will sell in the autumn it a case of what ever is value a storish yearling taht will put on weight and is cheap to buy. Usually that is a friesian yearling bull some lad is too lazy to squeeze that you buy at 300kg+ for 1-1.2/kg. ( if there was a mart at present lads would fall off them at that price)

In that case he'd probably be better able to buy the culls at the lower end of the price range especially if we get more dry weather with little grass growth. If he was prepared to finish the cows then a lot of my concerns shouldn't be a huge issue. Your right as regards awkward type cattle that most lads will turn there back on but it's hard to source them in any great numbers especially with little mart activity. I'd like to get stock bought sooner rather than later as I always find thrive is maximized at this time of year. If an animal doesn't thrive between now and the middle of June they won't imo, once you get into July I think the power goes out of everything and weight gain and growth seems to slow right down.

Bass Reeves · 18-04-2020 10:55am

Albert Johnson wrote: »

In that case he'd probably be better able to buy the culls at the lower end of the price range especially if we get more dry weather with little grass growth. If he was prepared to finish the cows then a lot of my concerns shouldn't be a huge issue. Your right as regards awkward type cattle that most lads will turn there back on but it's hard to source them in any great numbers especially with little mart activity. I'd like to get stock bought sooner rather than later as I always find thrive is maximized at this time of year. If an animal doesn't thrive between now and the middle of June they won't imo, once you get into July I think the power goes out of everything and weight gain and growth seems to slow right down.

Siamsa is not looking for many just 4-6 cattle. On buying now compared to June/July it depends on what you are doing with cattle. I find badly done cattle bought from poorer land in That period turns into decent stores going into the shed. However it is not a time to buy if reselling at end of year or intend winter finishing them. If however you are taking to finish the following summer it as good a time as any to buy

coolshannagh28 · 18-04-2020 12:05pm

Funny I bout the rag this week. there is a lad above in Mayo finishing Contentintal type cattle BSing about better type cattle. If you cannot finish a good one you cannot finish a bad one. He on about suckler farmers being necessary after exiting it himself. The journalists form the IFJ must get a hard on taking to these guys. You never see them interviewing a lad finishing a few plain bullocks off grass

A wise man in our country had a saying " Show me your cattle and Ill tell you your job" in other words the man with a field of Charolais had a good job or a a wife in one in order to keep them while the man with a field of plain cattle was the farmer .

richie123 · 18-04-2020 12:24pm

What about contract rearing ?? Not a word about it here..a euro a day and no costs bar whatever fert you spread depending on your stocking rate.

Siamsa Sessions · 18-04-2020 12:36pm

Thanks again folks for the insights. I’ll do some homework on cull cows today and go from there. I’m guessing the attractive-to-the-eye premium will be less than that for Continental cattle anyway!

Re contract rearing: I half looked into it but decided against it for now. If I can get out-wintering right, I’ll have yearling cattle myself this time next year to leave out to grass

richie123 · 18-04-2020 12:46pm

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Thanks again folks for the insights. I’ll do some homework on cull cows today and go from there. I’m guessing the attractive-to-the-eye premium will be less than that for Continental cattle anyway!

Re contract rearing: I half looked into it but decided against it for now. If I can get out-wintering right, I’ll have yearling cattle myself this time next year to leave out to grass

I've done done cull cows friesians.
Be prepared to herd twice a day
Be ready to head to factory with a sick one almost immediately..treating them is a waste of time .
Lamesness is a massive issue.
Don't talk to me about summer mastitis.
Even in perfectly dried up cows it will break your heart.
Once a week get them in and put Stockholm tar on there udders.
Pour ons for fly treatment even the real expensive products are not effective.ive tried it.

Siamsa Sessions · 18-04-2020 12:55pm

richie123 wrote: »

I've done done cull cows friesians.
Be prepared to herd twice a day
Be ready to head to factory with a sick one almost immediately..treating them is a waste of time .
Lamesness is a massive issue.
Don't talk to me about summer mastitis.
Even in perfectly dried up cows it will break your heart.
Once a week get them in and put Stockholm tar on there udders.
Pour ons for fly treatment even the real expensive products are not effective.ive tried it.

Sounds like there’s plenty to go wrong with them. I’m guessing you don’t buy them any more, do you?

richie123 · 18-04-2020 1:11pm

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Sounds like there’s plenty to go wrong with them. I’m guessing you don’t buy them any more, do you?

I don't buy many as I used too and only at very low prices. once you know the workload ahead of u that's ok.cull cows are the nearest thing to dairy farming without the financial reward.
Mastitis broke my heart last summer.

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