Marts Report: Marts need be on a level playing field with other agribusinesses
Sold Mart At Charolais Weighed This April Saturday, Last 395kg Macroom Born Bull For €870 2020 And Weanling
I cannot understand why marts are being forced to play second fiddle to every other agribusiness in the land. While many, and nearly all, agri related businesses are running pretty smoothly during the present lockdown, the problems with the marts, as highlighted by Kenmare Mart manager, Dan McCarthy, last week still exist today.
The problem with the marts, in a nutshell, is that the buyer cannot go into a mart and buy.
I can go to a Co-Op store and buy a bag of ration. I can go into a farm machinery store and pick up a part for a tractor, I can even go to a garden centre and pick up a bag of compost, but I cannot, for some bizarre reason, go into a cattle mart and buy a bullock.
Why is this the case? Why, from the very beginning, has there been an exception made in the case of the marts. A mart is a place of business, it is not Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
And the problems with weak rural internet, again highlighted by the straight-talking Kenmare mart manager, is also not helping the issue. Online bidding, while a marvel in some ways, certainly has its flaws, the main flaw being an internet service in rural Ireland that seems to have come from the time of de Valera.
Marts needs to be put on the same footing as every other agribusiness, the present situation is leading to a lot of frustration.
And with that we will go to the marts, where internet bidding is the only option.
Kilmallock mart had 1,200 stock on offer this week. Bullocks on Monday sold for up to €1,110 a head or €2.10 per kg. Runners sold for up to €530 each (paid for an April born Charolais bull).
Dry cows hit €1,360 a head or €1.72 per kg. Heifers made up to €1,110 a head or €2.27 per kg. Dairy stock sold for up to €1,300 (paid for a four-year-old calved cow). Sucklers hit €1,160 (paid for a two-year-old heifer). Factory bulls sold for up to €1,290 a head.
On next Wednesday, November 4th, an Autumn Dairy Show and Sale takes place at Kilmallock mart.
Dungarvan mart on Monday had a good selection of stock on offer. The next weanling sale in Dungarvan Mart will take place on Thursday 5th November and fortnightly thereafter. Entries are now being taken.
Mart manager George Candler next with a report on last Thursday's cattle sale at Kilkenny mart.
"Our online only cattle sale produced excellent returns for forward store and beef type bullocks, especially continental types.
"Lighter stores were more difficult to sell due to the fact that farmers in this section are not as proficient at bidding online.
"The heifer trade was not as buoyant except for top quality types."
Bullocks at Kilkenny mart sold from €1.40 to €2.45/kg. Heifers sold from €1.70 to €2.45/kg. Continental dry cows sold from €1.10 to €1.80/kg. Friesian dry cows sold from €0.80 to €1.45/kg.
Kilkenny mart had 1,050 cattle on offer.
Ann Keane of Clare Co-Op marts reported a big sale of bullocks on Friday at Ennis mart. "We had 600 cattle on offer and it was a totally online sale.
"Cattle are beginning to show the effects of the poor weather. Some of the quality stores in the 450kg to 550kg held the trade pretty well, in general average prices were €35/hd dearer than the same day 12 months ago."
"While the online worked well, overall the sales are slower to operate. An 88% clearance was achieved."
Ann Keane also reported from Kilfenora Mart on Saturday where a general cattle and Commercial Shorthorn sale took place.
"Unfortunately our online system with ‘Livestock Live’ was out of commission nationwide for over two hours and this delayed the sale for this period.
"The cull cow trade was very good with a strong entry, as were the heifers in both the general sale and shorthorn section.
And at the bank holiday Monday sale of weanlings at Kilfenora, Ann reported on a sale that had 300 weanlings on offer.
"The sale went well despite being totally online
.
"Weanling heifers proved a great trade, especially quality lots.
"Likewise quality bulls were a smashing trade. Average prices up €40/hd on this day 12 months ago.
"Quality on Monday was not as good as 12 months ago as most of the top-quality weanlings are already sold and shipping activity is very quiet presently."
