First sale of 2025 at Mayo mart

THE first sale of 2025 went ahead at Balla Mart on Saturday as the weather had cleared up, with the sale starting around 11 a.m. to give people coming from north Mayo/Sligo a chance.

Approximately 300 lots were able to make it, with a serious selection of dry cows on offer.

Prices in the bullocks were similar to the last sale, as can be seen by the averages below. There was some quality stores and they did tremendous, with great bidding among buyers.

Bullocks 300kg to 400kg averaged €3.01/kg, stores 400kg to 500kg averaged €3.21/kg, while heavier bullocks 500kg plus averaged €3.04/kg.

A LMX bullock born May ’23 and weighing 500kg made €1,690 (€3.38/kg) for a farmer from Crossmolina. Another CHX bullock weighing 630kg made €2,050 (€3.25/kg) for an Aughamore farmer, with a lighter CHX, 465kg, sold for €1,670 (€3.59/kg) by a farmer from Crossmolina.

There were some nice heifers and the average for those 500kg plus was exactly the same as the sale before Christmas. Lighter store heifers 300kg to 400kg averaged €2.83/kg, those 400kg to 500kg averaged €3.04/kg, while heifers 500kg plus averaged €3.21/kg.

One smashing Limousin heifer weighing 700kg made €2,480 (€3.54/kg), sold by a farmer from Ballina. Another lighter Limousin, 565kg, made €2,130 (€3.77/kg) for a Williamstown farmer.

In the dry cows, tops was a nine-year-old Charolais that made €2,950 for a farmer from Enniscrone, with another 825kg cow selling for €2,910 (€3.53/kg).

In the springers, a farmer from Williamstown saw a cow that is calving in a few weeks selling for €2,300.

The next sale is on Saturday, January 18, with booking on Wednesday at 9.30 a.m. for bullocks and heifers, and at 11 a.m. for cows on lowcall 0818-301-401. Weanlings will be sold next Saturday again after the bullocks, with booking on Thursday.

More upcoming sales below: