CATTLE prices going ‘through the roof’ but a slight slowdown in the sheep trade, sums up the trends at Galway marts over the past week.

With the ‘seven months’ summer buyers now making their presence felt at the marts, there is now a huge demand for lighter store cattle while at the other end of the market, cull cows are in huge demand.

One of the country’s leading sheep marts, Athenry, reported a slight dip in the trade although numbers for sale had recovered well following a blip due to Storm  Éowyn.

However, 660 lambs on sale in Athenry Mart last Monday met with almost a 100% clearance – a top price of €220 was achieved for a pen of 20 top-quality lambs weighing 57.5kgs.

The small dip in the sheep trade reflects price cuts at the factories over recent weeks but there are hopes of a spike in the trade early next month in the run-up to the Muslim Ramadan festival which this year ends on the last day of March.

Cattle prices though continue to make the headlines with Gort Mart reporting a 99% clearance on Thursday last with dry cows in ‘hot demand’ and tops of €3.45c/kg reached. A 740kg Limousin X bullock at Gort made €2,480 or €3.35kg.

Athenry Mart reported that competition around the ring continued to drive prices for bullocks with 400kgs to 500kgs animals up €40 to €50 a head as compared to two weeks ago.

Athenry had 75 heifers on offer with a 100% clearance with one 805kg Charolais making €2,680 or €3.33/kg. A Charolais X stripper, 805kgs sold for €2,680 or €3.33/kg.

Last Saturday in Loughrea Mart, there was a lot of interest in a special entry/clearance sale of 13-in-calf cows and a stock bull. A Limousin X cow, due in March, fetched €3,000 while the stock bull, 895kgs, sold for €2,660. A separate Charolais pure bred cow with heifer calf at foot made €3,300.

Factory quotes for cattle at the meat plants are now ranging between €6/kg and €6.30/kg with supply failing to meet demand. Good quality cull cows are pushing ever closer to the €6/kg mark with Rs quoted up to €5.80 this week. Young bulls are averaging €6.50/kg.

On the sheep front, factory quotes for hoggets are averaging around the €8.60/kg mark with cull ewes being quoted at €5/kg.