The mart trade continues its positive trend this week as we head into the first week of February, with predominantly green arrows on the Martbids table.

This is in line with the sharp increases that can be seen in marts all over the country, where sale averages and clearance rates are well on the rise.

Prices appear to be up in almost every category, with some exceptional fatstock shows and sales that are taking place around the country feeding into this.

Carnew Mart, for example, had an exceptional show and sale last week, with over 1,200 cattle on offer.

This sale saw over 300 cattle weighing from over 600kg to in excess of a tonne weight averaging a super €3.05/kg, while weanling bulls also met an exceptional trade.

A perfect example of this was a Belgian Blue-cross weanling bull weighing 490kg that sold for €2,500 (€5.10/kg). Full coverage from the show and sale can be found on the mart pages.

Weanlings

Mart managers around the country are sharing mixed realities, with some marts experiencing smaller sales than normal for the time of the year, while others are right on par with other years.

There are farmers out in force for lighter weanlings hoping to secure stock for summer grazing, while exporters are battling it out at the ringside for good continental weanlings.

If we look at the table this week, we can see weanling bulls in the over-450kg weight category have seen one of the sharpest increases, with the top third increasing 25c/kg and almost 20c/kg for the average weanling.

There is a similar story being told in the heifer rings, with lighter heifers in the 200kg to 300kg weight range and the 300kg to 400kg category up on average 15c to 20c/kg.

That time of year

In the south of the country, we are quickly approaching calf season and although sales have been relatively small to date, numbers are expected to rise swiftly in the coming week.

The increased demand for older beef calves is apparent, while there appears to be a slacker trade for the Friesian calves on offer.

Strong Aberdeen Angus and continental-sired calves are securing from €250 to €350, while the top-end fed calf is pushing on to the €400 mark.

Beef cows were averaging €2.30/kg in Bandon Mart earlier this week, with the tops of the Friesian cull cows not far behind.

With factories fighting for everything they can get, young and fleshed Jersey cows were also crossing the €2.00/kg mark and with tight supplies around the country, buyers are starting to turn a blind eye to quality assurance.

Cull cows

The cull cow trade is very strong, with healthy competition between factory agents north and south driving it.

Continental cows are averaging €2.20/kg to slightly north of €2.50/kg, while plainer types are hovering between €1.80/kg and €2.20/kg.

In general, the outlook for the foreseeable is positive with things possibly expected to level off in the coming weeks.