Last Thursday 21 September, Castlerea Mart played host to its annual show and sale of continental weanlings with over 330 quality weanlings presented for sale.

The sale was met with an extremely strong trade from the get-go, with great demand online and at the ringside.

Judge Cian McGloin from Co Leitrim tapped out a January 2023-born Charolais bull weighing 470kg as his overall male champion of the show, which later went on to sell for €1,960 (€4.17/kg).

Not to be outdone by her counterpart, the overall female champion, a Limousin-cross heifer weighing 465kg, fetched €2,600 (€5.59/kg)

Charolais- and Limousin-sired progeny continued to dominate the sale, with many notable prices achieved, including a Charolais-cross bull weighing 280kg selling for €1,420 (€5.07/kg) and another Charolais-cross bull weighing 340kg selling for €1,780 (€5.24/kg).

Weanling bulls

The majority of the weanling bull entries consisted of animals in the 300kg to 400kg weight range, with the top third averaging a massive €4.11/kg. The average in this range was €3.57/kg, which emphasised the standard.

Some impressive prices for weanling heifers included a Belgian Blue-cross weanling heifer weighing 320kg that sold for €1,820 (€5.68/kg) and a Charolais-cross heifer weighing 420kg that sold for €1,840 (€4.38/kg).

The top third of heifers in the 300kg to 400kg weight range averaged €3.82/kg. The middle third in this weight bracket averaged €3.15/kg, while the bottom third still held firmly at €2.61/kg.

Speaking exclusively to the Irish Farmers Journal about the special weanling show and sale, Castlerea Mart manager Brendan Egan said: “We had an exceptional trade for last Thursday’s weanling sale in Castlerea Mart.

“Suckler farmers are being well rewarded for turning out good-quality stock and the strong prices being paid for weanlings is a welcome boost to the suckler industry.”