The last 12 months will go down as one of the most positive years for the cattle trade in recent decades, with exclusive analysis of the Irish Farmers Journal Martbids database showing record increases across the board for most categories of stock this week.

In the bullock rings, all top-quality bullocks in most weight categories came in knocking on the door of €5/kg. Most of the bullocks were up over €2/kg on the 2024 trade. Top quality heifers were also up over €2/kg for much of 2025.

Weanling trade

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The weanling trade also had a super 12 months, driven by a combination of increased prices being paid by exporters and finishers .

Looking back to the previous 12 months from 2023-2024, the top 33% of bull weanlings in the 300-400kg weight bracket saw an increase of 27c/kg from 2023-2024, or €94/head on a 350kg bull weanling.

This increase rose to a massive €2.35/kg from 2024 to 2025 or €822/head, one of the largest increases in the last few decades. Top quality weanling bulls in the 300-400kg weight bracket came in at an average price of €6.18/kg, or €2,163/head.

In the heifer weanling rings it was a similar story, with top quality heifer weanlings in the 300-400kg weight bracket coming in at an increase of €2.26/kg or €791/head of the last 12 months.

Mart throughput

Mart throughput declined slightly in 2025 by almost 45,000 head, just over 2% decline on the total number of animals traded in 2024.

Within the figures, marts in Leinster actually saw an increase in the number of animals traded, up 1,591 animals on the previous 12 months.

Munster saw the biggest drop in mart numbers, down 17,001 animals on the 2024 figures.

Connacht saw a drop of 13,340 animals down to 362,894 animals. Marts in Ulster (Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal) also saw a big drop of 16,172 animals in 2025