A handful of exporters accounted for 42% of all weanling bulls in Ennis Mart on Tuesday last, but they didn’t have it all their own way, as bull beef finishers and farmers competed strongly.

This competition resulted in an average price of €1,993/head for bulls and €1,739/head for heifers.

Average price for the top third of bulls weighing between 300kg and 400kg was €6.11/kg, while for those tipping the scales from 400kg to 450kg, it was €5.76/kg.

Overall weanling prices in Ennis Mart were €2.05/kg to €2.20/kg higher than 12 months ago as demand continues to soar.

On offer

Between bulls and heifers, there were just over 400 head on offer, which included just over 230 bulls.

It was an exhibition of Charolais- and Limousin-crosses, with a lot of strong bulls close to or over 400kg on offer.

Last year, heavy bulls were generally trading for between €3.50/kg and €4/kg, but this time out, €5.70/kg to €6.20/kg was available with a bit more going for the cream of the crop.

Heavier bulls well over 500kg tended to make around €4.50/kg to €4.70/kg.

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Martin McNamara said: “The average price for bulls - good, bad and indifferent - was €5.22/kg.

That’s coming out at €763/head more on last year for all animals not just the top of the range ones.

Cracking stock

“For heifers, it was €4.99/kg across the board. Overall, [it was] a cracking yard of stock available and they were a credit to their producers.

“What surprised me was the strength of bulls- there was the world of bull in excess of 450kg. I thought most of them would have been sold on given how good trade was all year.

“We’re back about 15% on the same sale in 2024, with most of that coming from farmers selling stock earlier as prices were so good all along.”

He was also optimistic on the weanling trade for the rest of the year.

“I’d be extremely confident of trade holding and more so if we can get over the next six weeks without bluetongue visiting our shores.”