Weanlings break €5/kg barrier

Weanlings are hitting record prices in marts, with 300-400kg weanling bulls breaking the €5/kg price barrier for the first time ever this week.

Exclusive Irish Farmers Journal MartBids analysis shows the top third of weanlings in the 300-400kg weight bracket came in at €5.06/kg this week, up 28c/kg on the previous week. This puts a top-quality 350kg bull weanling in the €1,700-€1,800/hd price range.

Grass cattle are also in demand, with the average 400-500kg bullock selling for €3.75/kg this week, up 15c/kg on last week and up €1/kg or €450/hd on the same week in 2024.

February 2025 saw a big increase in numbers being sold in marts, with 186,905 head traded in February 2025, up almost 25,000 head on February 2024.

Large numbers of finished cattle are now being traded through marts on a weekly basis, with factory agents very active around mart rings.

The percentage of animals going home unsold has more than halved, falling from 4.7% in February 2024 to 1.9% in February 2025.

Concerns are growing about weanling availability for export markets in the months ahead. Mart managers report that large numbers of autumn-born weanlings, typically held until June or July, are being sold now as farmers capitalise on current high prices.

Huge gap

Iveragh Mart manager Mike Kissane said: “We are seeing a huge gap opening up in price between a U grade and R grade weanling. We’ve seen a lot of autumn-born weanlings sold in Kerry already. I’d say this, on top of less suckler cows, will see weanling numbers remain tight for the rest of the year.”

Meanwhile, concerns among shippers about ferry capacity and an increase in supply of beef-cross calves saw most calf prices ease slightly this week.