In pictures: exporters keep solid floor in Skibbereen weanling sale.

Skibbereen Mart had a clearance rate of 97% at its sale on Friday last, which featured a weanling show and sale as the main event.

Charolais and Limousin made up a large proportion of the 260 weanlings on offer and while there may have been a bit of nervousness regarding price ahead of the sale, that subsided once proceedings got under way.

Demand for bulls was driven by a good selection of buyers, with exporters, bull beef specialists and farmer buyers all active.

Grading potential and weight for age were the principal price drivers, with €2.80/kg up to €3.56/kg paid out for the better weanlings.

Heavier bulls may not have achieved the highs of earlier in the summer, but, nonetheless, a good share of them exceeded €3/kg, while plainer R grading stock were back to €2.50/kg.

Heifers

Heifers weren’t too far behind when it came to prices, as farmer buyers competed strongly for what was on offer.

At the top end of the market, U and R+ grading heifers mirrored prices paid for weanling bulls, while plainer heifers were making up to €2.60/kg.

A top price of €1,570 was paid for a 390kg Belgian Blue heifer (€4.03/kg).

Following the sale, mart manager Keith Mullaney said: "It was a great trade; you couldn’t fault it.

"High-quality cattle made top dollar even for the heavier calves. It was unbelievable to see the quality around the place. The weanlings down here wouldn’t look out of place in any west of Ireland sale.

"I was a bit nervous ahead of it, but things turned out good enough.

"Exporters are putting a floor on trade at the moment. We had three in attendance and they were very active for the U grades especially. One bought 50 for the Italian market. Farmers and bull beef specialists were in the market too.”

A noticeable feature of the sale was the presence of a good share of 2023-born calves and Mullaney reckoned that the bulk of the quality weanlings could be sold in a tighter window this year.

This could also reflect the fact that the trade for weanlings has been very good all year and this may have tempted farmers to sell now.