Viastar, the Meath-based exporting company, loaded a ship with 3,500 weanlings this week for an Israeli contract.

The Ganado Express, one of the largest livestock carriers operating in European waters, is due to dock in Haifa in Israel on Thursday 8 June.

It departed Greenore Port late on Monday evening after being loaded with 3,500 weanling bulls, bullocks and heifers. The shipment contains mostly continental bulls, with Aberdeen Angus bullocks and heifers also on board.

While the weanling trade remains very positive, marts have taken a hit over the last seven days with farmers concentrating on silage-making and other field work.

June and July are traditionally the quietest months in marts but the current heatwave has resulted in smaller numbers already.

Top-quality weanlings are still the highlight of the trade with top-end 300kg to 400kg heifer weanlings knocking on the door of €4/kg this week.

Cull cows are also a very firm trade, with agents and large finishers concentrating on cows over the last three weeks on the back of factory demand.

Heavier bullocks and heifers are under the most pressure in line with reduced factory quotes in recent weeks.