WITH a real surge in grass growth over recent weeks, the local marts are reporting a very strong farmer interest at the ringside and online.

Prices at the meat plants – despite the buoyant mart trade – remain pretty static at the €5 to €5.10 mark. Heavier cattle are probably doing better at the marts due to the competition element, according to local farmers.

Loughrea Mart reported a very competitive trade for cattle with farmers especially active – a 97% clearance was recorded.

Cull cows remained a strong trade in Loughrea with feedlots agents keen to buy while at the other end of the age divide, weanlings were also a lively trade – up to €3.60/kg for bulls and €3.23/kg for heifers.

It was a big day for the suckler buyers at Gort Mart last Thursday with a clearance with a special reduction sales of Limousin X and Shorthorn X cows with calves at foot.

Top prices for these combinations came in at €2,800 with an average of €2,516 being achieved. A special entry of in-calf (AI) BBx and Limousin heifers topped out at €4,300 and averaged €3,035.

While there was the usual Summer dip in weanling numbers at Gort Mart in keeping with the seasonal norm: bulls topped out at €4.13/kg and heifers at €4.16/kg. Good demand also for strong heifers at Gort.

Tuam Mart also reported a strong Summer trade on Monday with cull cows in good demand. Here, a 795kg Limousin X sold by a Barnaderg farmer made €2,040. A 385kg Aberdeen X heifer sold by a well-known Killererin farmer made €1,150 or €2.99/kg.

Ballinrobe and Headford marts also reported very lively trades last week. At Ballinrobe, yearling bullocks made up to €4.59/kg while at Headford on Saturday there was a huge demand for a fine selection of quality cull cows.

Pictured: The day is done: Tuam Mart staff Patrick Mannion and Michael Boyle, and Peter Donoghue, Cortoon, at the end of last Monday’s cattle sale.  PHOTO: JACINTA FAHY.