Cork Marts held their first special weanling show and sale in Cahir Mart last Friday night, 15 September with a large entry of 369 weanlings on offer.

Farmers travelled from all over Tipperary, Cork Waterford and Limerick for the sale, which was met with a 97% clearance overall.

There was huge export demand at Friday night’s sale, but where heavy bulls were concerned, farmer buyers were fit and ready to challenge and even take out the export buyers in some cases.

The sale saw plenty of variation across breeds, ages, weights and quality, but anything displaying quality seemed to attract fierce attention from the packed ringside.

This led to good-quality weanling bulls frequently exceeding the €3.00/kg mark and, in some cases, €4.00/kg.

Weanling bulls dominated entries. There was a good mix of type and topping the lots was a Limousin-cross weanling bull weighing 570kg that sold for €1,780 (€3.12/kg).

Another pair of Limousin-cross bulls weighing 420kg sold for €1,430 (€3.41/kg) and a group of three Charolais-crosses weighing 408kg sold for €1,360 (€3.33/kg), while a Charolais bull weighing 330kg sold for €1,230 (€3.73/kg).

Aberdeen Angus bulls sold between €2.38/kg and €3.14/kg, while Charolais bulls sold from €2.97/kg up to €3.73/kg.

Heifers

Heifers were also a strong sell on the night, with the top call going to a Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighing 345kg that sold for €1,390 (€4.03/kg).

Other strong prices saw a Limousin-cross heifer weighing 405kg sell for €1,200 (€2.96/kg) and a Charolais-cross heifer weighing 295kg sell for €980 (€3.32/kg), while an Aberdeen Angus-cross heifer weighing 248kg sold for €690 (€2.78/kg).

Limousin-cross heifers typically sold from €2.78/kg to €3.08/kg, while choice lots in the Charolais section reached highs of €3.32/kg.

Hereford heifers from the dairy herd generally sold from €1.76/kg up to €2.10/kg. Aberdeen Angus heifers from the dairy herd fetched prices around the €1.75/kg mark, while suckler-bred Angus commanded prices a little bit higher at around €2.80/kg.

‘Great demand’

Speaking exclusively to the Irish Farmers Journal after the sale, Cork Marts general manager and Cahir Mart manager Jonathon O’Sullivan said: “There was great demand there at tonight’s sale. Both exporters and farmers were very active both online and around the ring and nice types under 500kg really put a floor on the trade.”

In pictures

This reserve champion Belgian Blue-cross weanling heifer born in August 2022 and weighing 345kg sold for €1,390 (€4.03/kg).

This Charolais-cross weanling female champion born in January 2023 and weighing 310kg sold for €1,010 (€3.26/kg).

This Limousin-cross weanling bull born in August 2022 and weighing 405kg sold for €1,490 (€3.68/kg).

This Limousin-cross weanling bull born in September 2022 and weighing 570kg sold for €1,780 (€3.12/kg).

This Aberdeen Angus-cross weanling bull born in January 2023 and weighing 430kg sold for €1,070 (€2.49/kg).

This Aberdeen Angus-cross weanling bull born in March 2023 and weighing 350kg sold for €860 (€2.37/kg).

This Charolais-cross weanling bull born in October 2022 and weighing 345kg sold for €990 (€2.87/kg).

This Charolais-cross weanling bull born in February 2023 and weighing 330kg sold for €1,230 (€3.73/kg).

This group of three first-prizewinning Charolais-cross weanling bulls born in September and October 2022 and weighing 415kg sold for €1,260 (€3.33/kg).

This group of six Charolais-cross weanling bulls born in February 2023 and weighing 347kg sold for €1,100 (€3.17/kg).

This Limousin-cross weanling bull born in April 2023 and weighing 345kg sold for €1,130 (€3.28/kg).

This Aberdeen Angus-cross weanling bull born in March 2023 and weighing 315kg sold for €800 (€2.54/kg).