While throughput in many marts continues to ease week-on-week, sales activity is still running well ahead of previous years for many.

This is being helped by continued strong cull cow entries and purchasing from grass buyers lasting for longer.

The trade is holding steady and while average prices in some sales may be slightly down, this is more a reflection of quality reducing, with equivalent cattle still by and large commanding the same price.

The favourable spring for most and burst in grass growth rates in the last week to 10 days is also said to have inserted a boost into the trade, which is helping to underpin average prices.

Autumn-born weanlings are starting to appear in some sales and this is likely to gain in intensity in weanling strongholds, with some marts holding special sales in June and July to capitalise on this trade.

As can be seen on page 58, specialised finishers and feeders are the main buyers, with live exporters active for the top bulls, while purchasing activity continues for light bulls under 320kg for shipping to Turkey.

The cow trade also remains a highlight of sales, as also reflected on page 58.

Steers

Cattle weighing 600kg-plus are selling from €2.00/kg for aged R grading types to €2.15/kg, while top U grading forward steers requiring a short finishing period are selling up to €2.30/kg and as high as €2.40/kg for excellent-quality lots. There is also more interest entering the trade for cattle suitable for finishing under 30 months of age with good late 2015-born and 2016-born stores particularly in demand. Prices range anywhere from €2.20/kg to €2.60/kg for good suckler-bred stock and back to €1.80/kg for Friesian steers.

Heifers

The heifer trade is following a very similar trend to steers. Supplies are tightening faster than steers, which is helping competition. Good-quality lots weighing 400kg to 500kg are selling from €2.30/kg to €2.55/kg on average for R and U grading lots, with Angus and Hereford types from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg on average. Lesser-quality O grading types are selling back to €2/kg. There is strong demand for top-quality replacement heifers, but those commanding the top prices need to possess quality, with a high star rating not enough to push prices.

Weanlings

Farmers continue to trade lighter weanlings in higher numbers to take advantage of strong demand from other farmers and the competition generated from continued buying for the Turkish market. Average-quality bulls weighing 250kg to 300kg are selling from €2.50/kg to €2.80/kg, with farmers driving the trade for light lots to prices as high as €3.00/kg to €3.30/kg. Bulls and heifers weighing 350kg to 420kg are selling from €2.50/kg to €2.90/kg for the top-quality types, with very good lots exceeding €3.00/kg.

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