This week, Camera at the Ringside was at a special weanling show and sale at Skibbereen Mart.

Mart manager Tom McCarthy said that the weanlings on offer on the day were met with strong demand from exporters, farmers and feeders. Quality on the day was very strong with the average weanling weight up on previous years.

Exporters were most active for good-quality bulls over 400kg and prices ranged from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg. Average-quality types saw prices range from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg. Farmers drove the demand for bulls from 300kg to 400kg and prices of good-quality lots were strong as a result. Average-quality types sold mainly from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with better-quality lots making from €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg. Demand for plainer-quality types was steady but numbers on offer were low and prices ranged from €1.80/kg to €2.00/kg.

The heifer trade was driven by steady farmer demand. Heifers from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, with the top third in terms of quality making from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg.

Commission rates for weanlings are 1.5% to the seller with an entry fee of €2.50 and minimum charge of €8.50 to the buyer.

Nathan Tuffy