Mayo mart hosts its final sale of 2024

THE final sale of 2024 was held in Balla Mart on Saturday, reopening again on January 11.

It proved to be a great sale with double the amount of cattle as last year. Prices remained strong, with great demand, making for a fine trade.

Bullocks 300kg to 400kg averaged €3.29/kg, stores 400kg to 500kg averaged €3.30/kg, while heavier bullocks 500kg plus averaged €3.14/kg.

A strong LMX bullock born November ’22 and weighing 660kg made €2,140 (€3.24/kg) for a farmer from Castlebar, going north.

Another lighter LMX bullock weighing 625kg made €1,840 (€3.50/kg) for a Claremorris farmer, while another 490kg CHX was sold for €2,080 (€3.33/kg) by a farmer from Swinford, these tops being bought by northern factory buyers.

There were some lovely heifers on offer and trade remained very good due to the numbers of farmers buying, with the tops making in excess of €3.40/kg.

Lighter store heifers 300kg to 400kg averaged €3.14/kg, heifers 400kg to 500kg averaged €3.25/kg, and those 500kg plus averaged €3.19/kg.

One smashing LMX heifer weighing 530kg was sold for €2,440 (€4.60/kg) by a farmer from Crossboyne, going to a Galway farmer for breeding.

Another LMX weighing 645kg made €2,520 (€3.91/kg) for a farmer from Headford.

Dry cows 500kg plus averaged €2.65/kg - well up due to strong online buying. The average for these was up €305 on this time last year.

Best was a 2021 born 880kg Charolais that made €3,010 (€3.42/kg) for a Bohola farmer, while a farmer from Ballyglass, Claremorris, did well with his seven-year-old LMX cow that made €2,790.

In the springers, a farmer from Bohola saw his LMX cow - calving in January - sold for €3,240.

Another LMX cow, born April ’22, weighing 710kg and calving again in January, made €3,000 for a farmer from Castlebar.

There were approximately 100 bull weanlings, selling after the bullocks in ring one. Bulls 200kg to 350kg averaged €3.66/kg and bulls 350kg to 450kg averaged €3.39/kg.

A BBX bull born February ’24 and weighing 330kg was sold for €1,440 (€4.36/kg) by a farmer from Mayo Abbey. Another BBX bull weighing 405kg then went on and made €1,680 (€4.15/kg) - both bought for the export trade.

The next Saturday sale will be on January 11, with booking on Wednesday, January 8, at 9.30 a.m. for the bullocks and heifers, with cows booked at 11 a.m. the same day on Lowcall 0818-301-401.

Weanlings will be booked on Thursday, January 9.