Monday at Tuam Co-operative Livestock Mart saw a special show and sale for weanling bulls and heifers, to complement its weekly bullock and heifer sale.

With 360 cattle selling to a clearance rate of 92%, demand remains steady across the cattle trade, with buyers for all types of stock.

“We had a good entry of cattle with plenty of bullocks on offer, trade is remaining steady with the bull weanling remaining the best sellers," said manager Marion Devane. "Back on the highs of last year, but the top weanlings are still crossing €5/kg, which is great for the farmers selling, they deserve to be rewarded for their work.”

Weanling prices

The show and sale saw a small entry of weanling heifers, with those on offer selling from €1,300 up to €1,600/head. The bottom third of weanling heifers sold from €4.26/kg upwards, with a top of €4.87/kg for heifers weighing between 300kg and 400kg.

Bull weanlings saw a bigger entry, with both farmers and exporters ringside to purchase; the best sellers remain those bull weanlings, weighing around the 350kg mark, with top lots knocking on the door of €6/kg.

For bulls weighing between 300kg and 400kg, the bottom third averaged an impressive €5.05/kg, with the top third selling to an average of €5.64/kg.

The demand continued into the weanlings weighing between 400kg and 450kg, with an average of €5.19/kg paid. This was helped by the top third of bulls; this weight sold for €5.75/kg, with farmers driving a steady demand for the bottom third of bulls at €4.48/kg.

Bulls weighing over 450kg were not as plentiful but still found a steady trade, with an average of €4.88/kg paid. The top third averaged €5.30/kg, while the bottom third still achieved an average of €4.12/kg.

Bullocks and heifers

There was a big entry of bullocks and heifers in the sale, with quality suckler lots still sought after for further feeding. Despite the recent pressure on beef, bullocks weighing over 600kg saw the top third average an impressive €4.08/kg, with the bottom third selling to an average of €3.44/kg.

Lighter store bullocks weighing between 500kg and 600kg sold to an average of €3.56/kg, with the bottom third of the 49 bullocks on offer at this weight selling to an average of €3.31/kg.

As always, the lightest bullocks, weighing between 350kg and 400kg, saw the best demand from farmers, with the top third of this weight selling to average of €4.84/kg. Those bullocks averaged €3.97/kg, with the bottom third selling to an average of €3.34/kg.

Heifers were not as plentiful as bullocks, but farmers were still keen on the better-quality lots, crossing the €4/kg. The trade was more consistent throughout the weight categories, with the bottom third of heifers selling from €3/kg up to €3.30/kg.

As you moved up towards the average lots, you found sales of between €3.50/kg to €3.80/kg, with the top third of heifers selling from €3.90/kg upwards. Select lots went towards the €4.50/kg mark.