The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, will be in Balla on Friday September 23, to open Connacht Gold’s refurbished livestock mart. Balla is one of four marts operated by Connacht Gold in Mayo, Sligo, and Leitrim and more than €1.3 million has been spent on upgrading the mart.
The investment involves €0.3m expenditure on the installation of an effluent treatment plant and almost €1m expenditure on a new animal intake facility and extended parking facilities. The work is being grant-aided by the Department of Agriculture under the National Development Plan.
The chairman of Connacht Gold, Padraig Gibbons, said the investment is further evidence of the co-op’s commitment to the development of top-class products, facilities, and services for its suppliers and customers and to job-creation in the region.
The annual throughput of cattle at Balla mart exceeds 50,000, making it the biggest mart in Connacht and the northwest. It is among the five largest marts in Ireland for sales of weanlings and older cattle.
“The new animal intake and parking facilities will ensure a big improvement in efficiency and comfort for sellers and buyers,” said Martin Walsh, general manager of the Connacht Gold marts division.
“In designing the new facilities, we placed big emphasis on the highest standards of animal welfare and on rigid safety standards for mart customers. Particular attention was given to the creation of ‘safe areas’ including the erection of overhead walkways in the intake and penning area. The new parking area ensures that traffic entering and leaving the mart is efficiently streamlined,” he added.
Michael Murphy, manager of Balla mart, said the new circular animal intake facility, involving an increase in the number of chutes from four to six, will substantially increase speed and efficiency. There are also additional loading bays and holding pens.
“The facility is designed in a way that, once farmers collect the numbers for their stock, they can go directly on a walkway to the chute holding the stock,” said Michael Murphy.
This is the first major revamp of Balla mart, which was opened in 1972 and taken over by Connacht Gold in 1990. Martin Walsh said it will ensure that the mart, which has a capacity to handle 1,500 cattle per sale, will operate to the most efficient standards.
Michael Murphy said all customers of Balla mart are welcome to the official opening which takes place at 5pm. Light refreshments will be served.
