This is a subscriber-only article
Live cattle exports have stepped up a gear and will be a vital support to the weanling stock trade over the autumn. Close to 5,000 young bulls will be exported this week. Exporters continue to buy strongly at all mart sales in expectation of further orders.
On Thursday, export company Viastar will load an approved livestock boat at Carlingford for delivery to Turkey. The firm has quarantined and blood tested 3,000/head for this order and the final number loaded should be close to this figure. The bulls – all quality continentals averaging 330kg – will be sold to farms for feeding on and finishing.
Viastar is continuing to buy at sales around the country and is planning two more boatloads to Turkey by year end. The country is on course to increase live cattle imports in 2019 and again in 2020. A share of these imports will be Irish cattle.
The other big export contract of this week is being handled by Hallissey Livestock Exports. The Co Kerry firm is sending 1,800 quality continental bulls of 270kg to 300kg to Slovakia. The bulls are being sent down in approved livestock trucks. Ten loads went early in the week, eight trucks will go on Thursday and a balance of six trucks on Saturday. The firm is targeting more exports through the autumn.
Purcell Brothers’ boat load of bulls is currently on route to Libya. Further orders for bulls are expected in coming weeks.
Export demand is driving weanling prices. Some mart managers are reporting over two thirds of the weanling bulls on offer in sales are being sold to exporters.
Weanling bulls from 300kg to 400kg are selling for 8c/kg or €25 to €30/head more than the same time last year, while lighter bull prices under 300kg are running 11c/kg or €22 to €30/head above last years levels.
Plainer quality bulls and plain heifers are still a difficult trade due to weak demand.
SHARING OPTIONS: