Leinster Marts, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Wednesday, April 29, with over 450 head of cattle on offer in the sale.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, auctioneer John Osbourne said that there has been a lot of big sales of smaller-type cattle in recent weeks at the mart venue.

"A big change I'd see is quite a few more of the dairy-bred stock coming through, definitely year-on-year.

Click through the gallery below to see sample prices from the sale at Kilcullen Mart:

Osbourne said: "All our sales for the last 10 weeks have been big, a lot of farmers seem to be offloading the smaller stock, the 250-360kg and the bulk of them are bred off the dairy herd.

"This weeks' sales was the last of the big spring sales. I'd imagine it will taper off a bit from now and the other thing is the demand probably will taper off with it."

The auctioneer explained why he expects demand for cattle for grass to ease off.

He said: "Anyone killing beef cattle now is not as anxious to go back and buy as many cattle.

"The farmers who finished cattle in the sheds this winter are after getting the bang and they're feeling it very badly.

"The farmers who bought the small store cattle this time last year were very lucky with them.

"They got a lot of money for the stores but I'd say it could be a different story this year but hopefully, they get money by them but it's hard to see it happen.

"The good continental cattle are a flying trade, the plainer, lesser, 240-250kg cattle, some of them getting hard sold, anything with Jersey dams, a lot of buyers don't want to go there and you can't blame them, but overall, I would say cattle are remaining a good solid trade at the moment."

Commenting on the prices being achieved, the Kilcullen Mart auctioneer said that good heifers weighing 380-440kg are making €4.40/kg and up for the better types.

"The bigger, 550kg good bullocks in the right bracket with one or two moves and the right ages are making up to €4.50-4.60/kg is common enough for the good continentals," Osbourne said.

"Any of the overage cattle, the demand has lessened a bit in the last three weeks and yet the trade for beef is supposed to be somewhat better.

"On a price per kilo basis, there's a better trade for a forward store than there is for an overage bullock."

Outlook on beef trade into summer

Osbourne said that he expects the numbers of cattle in mart sales to drop-off and said that he expects to see beef prices rising from the end of May into June and July.

"I'd imagine beef will be a good trade then," he said.

The auctioneer said the peak prices achieved for beef cattle last year "distorted the whole store trade into winter", adding that many beef farmers may have fared out better if beef prices remained at €7.40-€7.50/kg for longer rather than rising and falling.

"The farmers that bought the dear stores last winter are now now feeling the pinch," he said.