A ‘real stir’ in cattle is set to last into 2016

IN the space of two short months the wheel seems to have gone full circle with cattle sales in marts across Galway with a ‘real stir’ through the ranks from finished animals to suck calves.

Athenry Mart Manager, Alan Barry, said the ‘wheel started to turn the other way’ quite slowly around November following the campaign on beef prices, but over the past month confidence again seemed to be sky high.

“The one big trend I’ve noticed is that the lift in prices has worked its way down from the finished price that farmers are receiving at the factories through all the different weights and down to the suck calves.

“It really is amazing the difference that a couple of months has meant to the trade with a lot of competition from agents, shippers and farmers for cattle. The farmers seem especially keen to stock up again for the springtime,”said Alan Barry.

He said that last week in Athenry, there was an especially strong demand for lighter weanling heifers – animals around the 240kg to 260kg mark that were making anything up to €870.

“I suppose when farmers get that couple of hundred extra for their finished animals, they have the confidence to ‘go hard’ and try to stock up for another season.

“Good continental suck calves are making between €450 and €550 while Friesian/continental cross are making in the €350 to €450 price range. A rising tide lifts all boats and we’ve really seen that with the cattle trade since the New Year,” said Alan Barry.

He said that the trade for heavier cattle was also being driven by a strong demand from Northern Ireland buyers helped by the currency situation between sterling and the euro, while they were also getting more money per kg. for their finished animals at the UK meat plants.

“Less than six months ago, heavier cattle around the 650kg mark, were only making around the €1,300 mark at the factories – now those animals are making up to €1,600, and maybe even a bit with it,” said Alan Barry.

He added that given the national supply and demand situation – with a lot less cattle in the country this year – the overall beef and cattle outlook was positive for 2015 and indeed into 2016 as well.