Manager Seamus O’Keeffe said: “We’re a week later than last year. As it was the start of our weanling sales, we were delighted, because weanlings available were top-class and a credit to the producers. “The lighter weanling has plenty of selling options now, such as the export market, but we also have good local customers for the good heavier bull weanling. The people producing weanlings have only one day out and you like to see them get top prices each year,” he said.
Manager Seamus O’Keeffe said: “We’re a week later than last year. As it was the start of our weanling sales, we were delighted, because weanlings available were top-class and a credit to the producers.
“The lighter weanling has plenty of selling options now, such as the export market, but we also have good local customers for the good heavier bull weanling. The people producing weanlings have only one day out and you like to see them get top prices each year,” he said.
Seamus added that breeders are continuing to use Belgian Blues, Charolais and Limousin sires mainly and that is what was on offer in the pens. Prices were definitely up on last year and there was almost a full clearance, with just six animals going home unsold from the sale, according to Seamus.
Consistency was the standout feature when walking through the yard, with most weighing from 350kg to 450kg. Another noticeable feature while looking at the pens was how quiet stock were, showing that they had been weaned properly; a positive for both the buyer and the seller.
Weanlings under 350kg were scarce, but R and U- grade cattle in that weight range were generally making between €2.55/kg to €2.90/kg. Heavier continental bulls were selling from €2.25/kg to €2.60/kg. Prices were similar for heifers.
The majority of what was on offer made between €500 and €700 with their weight, with show winners and heavily muscled E grading weanlings selling for up to and over €1,000 over the weight. Top price on the day was €1,620 for an outstanding 430kg Belgian Blue-cross bull.
With a spring-born suckler weanling show and sale in early September, Seamus is also keeping an eye on the dairy weanling availability.
“We had roughly 11,000 calves go through the ring in spring, which was up about a thousand on last year. There are a lot of people ringing looking for runners and I’m not sure at this stage if there will be numbers there given the amount of calves that have gone through,” he said.
Commission rates for weanlings is €8.50/head to the buyer and €9 to the seller. Entry is €2.50/head.
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