The weanling trade continues to hold well right across the country, with special weanling sales meaning that the quality on offer is very high.
With difficult weather and poor ground conditions in the west, weanling sales and bookings for the coming weeks are increasing quickly.
Farmer and exporter demand is placing a firm floor under the trade.
However, plainer quality bulls and heifers are a weaker trade.
Farmer buyers are favouring weanlings and stores over heavier cattle as a result of the current market uncertainty, but, as a result, the prices being paid for these are much higher when compared with beef cattle.
Heavy stores over 600kg are being met with a tough trade. However, where the quality on offer is high, prices of €1,300 and higher are being achieved.
There is a gulf between the prices being paid for top-quality light stores and plain Angus and Friesian stores, with up to €1.00/kg in the difference between a top-quality U grade and a Friesian.
Steers
Heavy bullocks are finding it a little tougher at the marts, with those over 600kg seeing prices slip again in the past week. Those from 500kg to 600kg have also seen prices slip to an average of €1.85/kg. R+ and U grades are still making from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg, where continentals are on offer. Lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg are a stronger trade, with prices running about 10c/kg higher than slightly heavier bullocks. In some cases, fancy 450kg bullocks are selling for nearly the same as average bullocks 100kg heavier.
Heifers
The heifer trade is similar to bullocks, but average prices are up to 10c/kg higher than the equivalent bullock. In addition, there is less dairy influence. The average 500kg heifer is selling for €1.92/kg, with U grades making 20c/kg more than this. Lighter store heifers from 400kg to 500kg are a steady trade, with the average 450kg heifer making €875/head, not much higher than weanling prices. The top third of heifers in the same weight range are selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, with farmers more active for better-quality types.
Weanlings
The weanling trade is holding firm, although some mart managers have reported a slight slippage in the prices of weanlings. However, in special sales, demand is still very strong and farmers are mostly choosing to sell. The average 350kg bull is making €2.12/kg or €740/head, with the top third making from €2.50/kg to €2.55/kg. A similar trend is evident in heifers, with a vast prices gap opening up between top-quality bulls and heifers and plainer-quality types, with buyers shying away from plain cattle.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: quality stores in demand at Athenry Mart
Camera at the Mart: firm butchers' demand for heavy lambs
Camera at the Mart: strong demand for hogget ewes at Milford breeding sale
Camera at the Mart: sharp trade for heavy cattle at Keady
NI trends: increased supplies adds to price pressure; lamb prices slip at marts
The weanling trade continues to hold well right across the country, with special weanling sales meaning that the quality on offer is very high.
With difficult weather and poor ground conditions in the west, weanling sales and bookings for the coming weeks are increasing quickly.
Farmer and exporter demand is placing a firm floor under the trade.
However, plainer quality bulls and heifers are a weaker trade.
Farmer buyers are favouring weanlings and stores over heavier cattle as a result of the current market uncertainty, but, as a result, the prices being paid for these are much higher when compared with beef cattle.
Heavy stores over 600kg are being met with a tough trade. However, where the quality on offer is high, prices of €1,300 and higher are being achieved.
There is a gulf between the prices being paid for top-quality light stores and plain Angus and Friesian stores, with up to €1.00/kg in the difference between a top-quality U grade and a Friesian.
Steers
Heavy bullocks are finding it a little tougher at the marts, with those over 600kg seeing prices slip again in the past week. Those from 500kg to 600kg have also seen prices slip to an average of €1.85/kg. R+ and U grades are still making from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg, where continentals are on offer. Lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg are a stronger trade, with prices running about 10c/kg higher than slightly heavier bullocks. In some cases, fancy 450kg bullocks are selling for nearly the same as average bullocks 100kg heavier.
Heifers
The heifer trade is similar to bullocks, but average prices are up to 10c/kg higher than the equivalent bullock. In addition, there is less dairy influence. The average 500kg heifer is selling for €1.92/kg, with U grades making 20c/kg more than this. Lighter store heifers from 400kg to 500kg are a steady trade, with the average 450kg heifer making €875/head, not much higher than weanling prices. The top third of heifers in the same weight range are selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, with farmers more active for better-quality types.
Weanlings
The weanling trade is holding firm, although some mart managers have reported a slight slippage in the prices of weanlings. However, in special sales, demand is still very strong and farmers are mostly choosing to sell. The average 350kg bull is making €2.12/kg or €740/head, with the top third making from €2.50/kg to €2.55/kg. A similar trend is evident in heifers, with a vast prices gap opening up between top-quality bulls and heifers and plainer-quality types, with buyers shying away from plain cattle.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: quality stores in demand at Athenry Mart
Camera at the Mart: firm butchers' demand for heavy lambs
Camera at the Mart: strong demand for hogget ewes at Milford breeding sale
Camera at the Mart: sharp trade for heavy cattle at Keady
NI trends: increased supplies adds to price pressure; lamb prices slip at marts
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