Pressure on beef prices at any time always spells a lack of confidence in lighter cattle, even though these stores will not be killed for many months.

With agents sticking to their guns on price this week - and even reducing quotes in some cases - lighter and plainer store cattle are a tougher trade ringside.

Although some are seeing largely similar numbers passing through marts for the time of year, there has been a degree of offloading of stock on some farms amid poor grass growth conditions over the past month.

Some of the types that are being hardest hit in the ring are those plainer types lacking flesh or poor weight for age.

A late turnout and difficult grazing conditions since have seen these cattle being brought to marts in lesser condition than would usually be seen.

Farmers who might be in the market for these store cattle after first-cut silage ground comes back into the grazing rotation have been sitting on their hands, as poor growth in the last month means a tight supply for the mouths already on the farm without the need for additional animals.

Kilkenny auctioneer George Candler noted that there was “an excellent trade for beef bullocks and heifers, which would indicate that these types are in short supply”.

“Quality continentals also sold well, but a definite easing in the trade was seen for lighter and plain Friesian cattle.

“The shortage of grass is the main reason of a reduction in this category.

“Our cull cow sale on Tuesday attracted an entry 180 cull cows plus eight cull bulls. The fact that a dozen cull cows, all continentals, sold in excess of €2,000 per head to a top call of €2,620 for 890kg shows this sector is buoyant,” said George.

Similar to last week, culls remain in high demand, hitting the €3/kg mark for continental types with a kill-out potential of 54% or higher.

Well-fleshed plainer suckler and Friesians are a solid trade as well, with Friesians hitting €2/kg to €2.20/kg and sucklers floating between this and €2.60/kg for those coming into R grading territory.

Weanling numbers are seasonally small, with a lot of the better-quality and heavier summer- and early autumn-born calves being sold or will be held on to until later in the year.

Martbids analysis

Martbids analysis this week show an increase in price/kg in nearly all categories of bull weanlings of between 11c and 25c/kg.

However, it is worth noting that numbers only totalled 260 bull calves for the week gone by, with just over 100 heifer weanlings sold in the same period.

One farmer turning out a pen of high-quality or poor-quality weanlings at this time of the year will greatly affect averages.

Talk from mart managers indicates that good-quality continental types are meeting firm demand though, with a mix of exporters for the continent and farmer buyers competing.

Steer and heifer prices have seen some categories of cattle rise in price, while others have fallen, although heifers appear to be less affected, as do heavier types in the 500kg-plus bracket.