Camera at the Mart: weanling sale for the ages in Cahersiveen

There was a weanling sale for the ages in Iveragh Co-operative Mart on Tuesday last for the south Kerry mart’s annual autumn-born bull weanling show and sale.

The lairage resembled a Charolais and Limousin tribute, as both breeds dominated proceedings and buyers competed both at the ringside and online.

It’s not too long ago that the target of selling a heavy weanling bull for €1,000 was the aim for suckler farmers, but €1,000 to €1,200 with the weight was paid out on a good number of heavy U grading bulls in Cahiersiveen. A few bulls made over €1,300 too.

In the very recent past, those heavy suckler bulls over 400kg would have been penalised at weanling sales, with those closer to 300kg making the premium prices.

That idea was turned on its head at this sale, with prices ranging from €3.00/kg to €3.89/kg on offer for bulls that were mainly born between July and September last year.

Of those selling for under €3.00/kg, most were store-type heavy bulls or those that would be classed as R grading.

Bulls under 350kg weren’t as plentiful, but the majority were making over €3.00/kg.

Similar to the heavier bulls, plainer store bulls weighing from 300kg to 350kg generally made from €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg.

Manager Mike Kissane was very pleased with how the sale went.

“What I noticed was the quality was more evident than ever today. Heavy bulls were well paid for. We had 500kg bulls making €3.50/kg.

“It’s a bit harder for farmers to buy at the moment - they’re short of grass and with high prices, it’s hard for them to compete with exporters.

“There were three exporters at the ringside and they bought 61% of all the weanling bulls on offer.

“Heavy bulls were going for export too and exporters were going after well-muscled stock and had little interest in plainer cattle that were narrower behind and at the shoulder.”

With overall suckler numbers back, Mike felt it was important that the focus of any future suckler cow scheme needs to be on welfare.

“By welfare, I mean vaccination, meal feeding and proper weaning - it’s vital and it shows in the ring that buyers are willing to pay a bit more for animals less likely to develop health issues.”

There was a smaller selection of heifers on offer and plainer stock and, as a result, prices didn’t hit the heights of the bulls.

A special weanling heifer sale will take place on 13 August.