Jane Mayne
Gortatlea Mart hosts two highlight special anniversary sales this week, and the mart’s Margaret Lacy confirms that, “There’ll be outstanding quality stock. It’s guaranteed to have all the big buyers here. It’ll be full-on sales where people have prepared stock for all year. So it’s definitely not to be missed for people who are serious buyers!”
Today, Thursday 26th January features a Special Anniversary Cow Sale, while Friday 27th January sees Heifers and Bullocks take centre stage.
Margaret says that overall, “It will be excellent quality. Last year and every year people have said you’d never see a yard like it in the country – it’s just that people are prepared for it.”
She adds that livestock comes from all over the country. “From all of Munster and we get a huge amount of stock from Cork, Limerick and Waterford – they come from all over.”
These special anniversary sales have a “very good name for quality stock, and for excellent cows.”
This week’s festivities clock up 9 years since Maurice Brosnan took the mart over. Margaret explains: “The mart was established 41 years ago, and Maurice took it over 9 years ago. So this is his 9th year.”
Has she noticed that trade for cattle is strengthening generally at the mart? “Oh yes. Cattle are at an all-time high at the moment and people should avail of it. It’s hard to know if the prices will continue to rise to the extent that they have, but prices are very good at the moment.”
Pertaining to top prices being paid per kilo she notes that it obviously depends on the animal. “You have yearlings they’re making 360 a kg, you have cows they’re making 330, or 2 or 3 euros per animal. It depends on the animals, but prices are very high at the moment. There’s an all-time high to be honest – in the 9 years it’s the highest I’ve ever seen them.”
So the year has started out well at Gortatlea? “Yes, it’s very, very strong. Trade is very high. All cattle are very strong at the moment.”
Her forecast for the year ahead: “Well last year was a very good year for cattle and it’s starting off as a very promising year again, but it’s hard to say what the year is going to bring.”
The mart’s sales start at 11:00 sharp today and tomorrow – so be sure to get there on time!
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Contact Gortatlea Mart at: +353 66 713 7244.
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