With weanling sales in full swing, cattle numbers are slowly starting to rise. This increase for this time of year hasn’t been as big as others, but that’s simply because trade never dropped back for the summer months.

Since the reopening of marts following lockdown, record entries have been attracted to marts.

This is largely down to exceptional prices ringside, with buyers having an exceptional grass growing season, and demand from factory agents as prices remained low at the factory gate.

With any increase in supply of stock, one would expect a drop in price. However, this isn’t the case.

Prices remain up on the year and even prices on the week have risen in most cases.

Bullocks sat even at €2/kg, while heifers stood 8c over this on average

With a small bit more bite in factories, sellers with a bit more negotiating power are able to receive that 5c/kg ahead of base.

In the last week, this has been quickly eaten up ringside, with fit steers and fit heifers rising by 7c/kg and 8c/kg respectively.

Bullocks sat even at €2/kg, while heifers stood 8c over this on average.

One of the biggest increases in prices on the week was for that better-quality fit heifer, which saw prices up 17c/kg to settle at €2.35/kg.

These prices were led by a few exceptional rising two-year-old heifers suitable for top-end commercial breeding.

One December 2018-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 605kg and sold for €2,300 or €3.80/kg, while another Blue, around the same age and scanned suitable for breeding, sold for €3.41/kg.

For the short-keep cattle, confidence is still very high, with prices rising by 5c/kg to 7c/kg on the week.

In the lesser weights, prices are up, but not as significantly as the more forward cattle

Cattle with better shape and of a younger age also saw this increase but on a lot higher base, meaning that over €2.30/kg and heading for €2.40/kg was easily achieved. It was noticeable that buyers were looking for younger animals born spring 2019 to get the under-30-month premium.

In the lesser weights, prices are up, but not as significantly as the more forward cattle.

Northern buyers active for young cattle has slowed down nicely, but they remain very active for well-made suckler cows still. Age and sire type are a more determining factor here rather than weight, with the right type heading north of €2.20/kg.

Calf age doesn’t seem to be an issue as long as the calf type she’s producing is of a high enough standard to reach the top-end weanling market

One 2017-born Limousin cow weighing 730kg sold for €1,670 or €2.29/kg. Overall, the top third of dry cows sold fetched an average of €2.09/kg.

Suckler cow and calf combinations remain prevalent across the country, with strong demand for the better-quality cow.

Calf age doesn’t seem to be an issue as long as the calf type she’s producing is of a high enough standard to reach the top-end weanling market.

Prices rose by €40 on the week for the top third of lots to settle at an average price of €1,650.

Weanlings

The large influx of weanlings in the last week has meant the price has dropped slightly, but sellers still need to be aware that these prices are significantly up on the year.

This weekly drop could be due a number of reasons, including a lesser-quality animal forward or, more than likely, younger spring-born calves starting to filter through.

A quick price comparison with the same week of 2019 sees that averages are up between 10c/kg and 28c/kg across the weanling bull and heifer weights.