Martbids Database: bullocks see biggest rise this week

The mart trade continues to work off a very steady base this week, with prices generally unchanged from last week.

Mart managers are reporting increased numbers of weanlings in particular coming out to marts, with numbers up especially in the west.

Balla Mart in Co Mayo had a big sale of weanlings on Tuesday night, with 400 weanlings more on offer than the same sale in 2024.

Bull weanlings in the 200kg to 350kg weight category in Tuesday night’s sale averaged €4.56/kg, while heavier bulls in the 350kg to 450kg weight category averaged €4.48/kg.

Breeding-type heifers were in big demand, as is evident across all marts throughout the country.

Heifer weanlings suitable to make suckler cows hit as high as €7/kg in Tuesday night’s sale.

Mart managers are reporting good interest in suckler outfits as well, with any farmer selling cull cows at the moment in a strong position to replace stock.

Suckler farmers are selling late-spring-born weanlings and some autumn-born weanlings in a bid to capitalise on the current high prices that both exporters and farmers are paying for cattle.

Exporters are reporting demand as being exceptionally strong in our main markets, with no let-up expected for the foreseeable future.

Exporters continue to pay up to €5/kg for weanlings, with demand exceeding supply in a lot of marts again this week. There have been a total of 89,954 cattle exported up to week ending 15 March 2025, a 19,379 head or 27% increase on the same number of weeks in 2024.

Calf exporters are also reporting strong demand for beef-cross calves in a number of European countries.

There has been a total of 54,107 calves exported since the start of 2025, an 11% decrease on the same time period in 2024. Trade with Spain for calves has seen a strong increase of 101%, making up some of the decrease of trade for Irish dairy calves destined for the Netherlands market.

Martbids

Taking a look at this week’s Martbids analysis table, we see that bullocks saw the biggest rise this week, with factory agents driving the trade for heavy bullocks.

The top third of bullocks over 600kg came in at €4.68/kg this week, up 18c/kg on the previous week.

Average-quality bullocks in the same weight category were up also coming in at €4.29/kg this week, up 13c/kg on the previous week.

In the heifer rings, farmers buying for grass drove the trade, with all heifers in the 350kg to 400kg weight bracket up in price on last week.

Top-quality heifers in the 350kg to 400kg weight bracket came in at €4.53/kg this week, up 11c/kg on the previous week.

Heavy heifers were a little easier this week, but still a very good trade. The top third of heavy heifers came in at €4.71/kg this week, back 5c/kg on the previous week.

In the weanling rings, heavier weanlings were a little easier this week, with heavy bulls back 22c/kg. The top third of weanling bulls in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket was up 6c/kg to €5.15/kg.