Established in 1968, Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales is one of Tipperary’s leading livestock marts. Irish Tractor & Agri touched base with its Mart Manager Robert de Vere Hunt to learn all about the state of business at the moment.
It was two years ago that saw Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales celebrate half a century since its establishment and these days business is flying down along Camas Road in Cashel, Co Tipperary.
The mart itself has been at the core of the community for many years, with its sales hosted every Saturday.
Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales deals with agricultural sales, farm sales, machinery sales, commercial sales, livestock valuations and grazing and tillage letting.
Irish Tractor & Agri touched base with Robert de Vere Hunt, manager since 2003, to find out more.
“Business has been good this year and the Spring started well for us especially,” said Robert.
“We’re in the heart of dairy country here and could be selling anywhere in region of 600 calves on any given Saturday.”
Of course, the Spring season would be affected nationwide by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the government shutdown of companies all over the country from the second week in March to May 18th.
At Cashel Mart, they tackled the issue for their own customers in best way they knew how to, as Robert explained:
“Willie Troy would be my right hand here and we went out to the yards for customers. It meant that we were actually bringing the customers to the calves, so they didn’t even have to come into the mart.
“That went on for two months and when we opened up again, I have to say that we saw a phenomenal trade.
“There’s still a hunger there. We’d a beef sale last Saturday and there was a serious trade at it.
“Beef is going to stay strong for the rest of 2020 and we’ll just have to see how it goes after that.”
Situated behind the Rock of Cashel, the mart has developed a strong customer base all throughout the Munster and Leinster region, offering its customers sales by auction, public tender and private treaty.
Robert and his sister Alison have been jointly running the mart together over the past seven years, with Alison currently out on maternity leave.
With approximately 30,000 stock passing through the ring on an annual basis, meeting the customers at Cashel Mart and delivering a quality service is what Robert and Alison focus on each and every year.
They hold a livestock sale of cattle, weanlings and some special entries every Saturday at present and the calf sale is on a Saturday morning in spring and into the summer.
There is live sheep weighing for the factory every Monday.
“We’re on a Saturday, which is a huge scalp first and foremost,” Robert pointed out.
“Secondly, we run a tight little shop here and, believe it or not, it makes a big difference for us.
“And lastly, we have a phenomenal strike rate with regards to selling. When you come here, we don’t want you to leave with your cattle and I think it’s a big part of the reason why our customers come to us.”
Indeed, customer satisfaction has always been the top priority at Cashel Mart.
It’s the reason why approximately 30,000 stock passes through it each and every year.
“Back in 2003, the number of stock that we had passing through was around 6,000,” explained Robert.
“Back then we were only open on a Tuesday, so we’ve built up a huge network of people over the last 17 years or so and two years ago we celebrated 50 years in business.”
Robert also works in property as a selling agent and explained that he receives calls from farmers all over looking for suggestions and advice.
Looking at the months ahead he is optimistic, but he doesn’t feel the same way about 2021.
“An awful lot of farmers ring me for advice and I have to say that I’m genuinely worried for next year because we are going through a false trade at the moment,” said Robert.
“The golden rule with beef is that someone along the way has to lose money and right now that’s not what’s happening.
“I’m optimistic for the rest of 2020, but I don’t like what I see for 2021. I’d say you can batten down the hatches between Covid and Brexit.”
The Mart has come through rougher times over the past half century than what Robert is forecasting for next year and will no doubt come through them again.
At Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales all of the customers know the Hunts and they know them. That personal touch has gone a long way down through the years and, as ever, they don’t like to see stock going back home.
They also happen to have the most picturesque mart in Ireland, so, all things considered, it’s no surprise to see customers coming back to it every week.
One of Tipperary’s leading livestock marts, things continue to look positive for this family-run business with a rich tradition of always putting the customer first.
Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales
Camas Road,
Cashel,
Co Tipperary
Tel: 06 262 500
Web: cashelmart.com
E-mail: [email protected]
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 9 No 1, January/February 2021
Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales
