Prices for store cattle hit a record high in marts in 2024, with live exporters driving the trade for weanlings and stores, Irish Farmers Journal analysis shows.

Average quality Charolais bullocks in the 400-500kg weight category hit an all-time high in 2024, coming in at €3.12/kg (€1,404/head), up from €2.96/kg in 2023.

Friesian bullocks also saw a big lift, with the average 400-500kg Friesian bullock coming in at 19c/kg or €86/head higher than the 2023 sales figure.

The number of Friesian cattle traded through marts continues to decline, with a 2.4% drop recorded in 2024.

A 2.8% increase in dairy-bred Aberdeen Angus bullocks and heifers traded in 2024 made up for the fall in Friesian numbers.

Cork Marts Corrin mart manager Seán Leahy said: “Exporters helped the average Friesian bullock trade in 2024, especially in the second half of the year.

“Numbers of weanlings and store cattle are tight, and I can see those better quality dairy cross Aberdeen Angus and Hereford light stores heading for €3.50-€4/kg next spring.”

Highest number

An extra 60,000 cattle were traded through Irish marts for the first 11 months of 2024. With more smaller finishers now choosing to sell their cattle through marts rather than direct-to-factory, put the total number of cattle traded to 1.8m – the highest number in six years.