Carrigallen Mart is 61 years in existence and over those years has built up a big name in the northwest for quality weanlings.

The show and sale of bulls and show and sale of heifers are two of the big highlights for the mart.

Local farmers target this sale with big competition for rosettes on show and sale days and customers come from far and near to purchase the best of suckler-bred stock.

Saturday’s sale didn’t disappoint and followed the general trend of weanling sales up and down the country, which is up on 2020 prices.

Heifers

Heifers in the 300kg to 400kg bracket made up the largest group on Saturday and that group averaged €1,000/head or €2.90/kg, up almost €150/head on the same sale in 2020.

It was a similar story in the 400kg to 500kg bracket and although the increase wasn’t as big, these heavier weanlings were also up to the tune of €120/head when compared with the same sale last year.

Top price of the sale went to a 295kg Charolais heifer calf which sold for €1,600 (€5.42/kg).

Lighter calves in the 200kg to 300kg bracket averaged €3.19/kg, up 50c/kg on the same sale last year.

Bull ring

In the bull ring, over 200 weanlings went through the ring and while the trade didn’t hit the highs of the previous week’s show and sale, it was still a very good trade, especially for the lighter weanlings.

Bull calves in the 300kg to 400kg category averaged €2.60/kg, with the top price of €1,100 going to a 395kg spring-born Charolais weanling.

Farmer buyers drove the trade all day in both rings, with very little exporter activity taking place so far this year. Exporters generally move in when the best of weanlings have been sold and target that second grade weaning for middle eastern markets.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Carrigallen Mart manager Helen Kells said: “It’s been a really solid few weeks for our weanling sales.

"There have been no huge sales this year, I think the weather might have contributed to that, in that there was no week where there has been huge pressure to sell.

"More and more buyers seem to be willing to go that extra bit to get the top-quality weanling, it’s obviously paying to do that.

"Our next show and sale of heifers takes place on Thursday 14 October with 400 heifers entered for the sale."

In pictures

This April 2021-born Charolais heifer weighed 270kg and sold for €780 (€2.88/kg).

This April 2021-born Charolais heifer weighed 290kg and sold for €820 (€2.82/kg).

This March 2021-born Charolais weanling heifer weighed 300kg and sold for €850 (€2.83/kg).

This October 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 415kg and sold for €1,210 (€2.92/kg).

This April 2020-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 435kg and sold for €980 (€2.25/kg).

This February 2021-born Charolais heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €1,000 (€2.63/kg).

This November 2020-born Simmental heifer weighed 460kg and sold for €980 (€2.13/kg).

This June 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 465kg and sold for €1,050 (€2.26/kg).

This March 2021-born Limousin weanling heifer weighed 335kg and sold for €840 (€2.51/kg).

This February-born Limousin heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €1,200 (€3.16/kg).

First in Limousin section made €1,200, second made €1,240 and third prize made €1,060.