Roscommon Mart hosted its final weekly weanling sale of the year on Tuesday evening.
This sale was an extra added to the calendar with weanling sales usually finishing up a week earlier for Christmas.
The added sale proved worthwhile, with 180 lots presented for sale and 80% of these sold.
Speaking after the sale, Roscommon Mart manager Maura Quigley said: “Trade was slightly easier, particularly for the lesser-quality weanlings.
“Overall, the better quality heifer proved better than the bulls. These were all farmer buyers, with none exported with shippers.”
Topping trade on the night was a Charolais bull weanling weighing 390kg which sold for €1,250 or €3.21/kg.
The Charolais were the dominant breed when it came to price/kg, as the second-top price of €3.04/kg was paid for another Charolais bull weanling, this time weighing 365kg and selling for €1,110.
Those bull weanlings under 400kg proved in strong demand, with averages for continental-bred stock coming into €2.27/kg to €2.43/kg.
As bulls started to exceed the 400kg mark, prices generally dropped back to an average of around €2.10/kg.
Prices here were led by a Belgian Blue bull weighing 400kg that sold for €970 (€2.42/kg). Just behind this, a Charolais bull weighing 405kg sold for €950 or €2.35/kg.
Lighter heifers were again most in demand, with the Charolais breed again dominating prices.
Top lot for heifers under 400kg was a Charolais weighing 360kg and selling for €1,020 (€2.83/kg).
Top of the Limousin breed in this weight was a 305kg heifer which sold for €800 (€2.62/kg).
For heifers in excess of 400kg, €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg was achievable for the right type. Topping this weight was a Limousin heifer weighing 415kg that sold for €1,120 (€2.70/kg). Close to this was a Charolais heifer that weighed 430kg and sold for €1,140.
Very few weanlings were presented for sale in excess of 500kg, but those that were saw trade generally between €2.00/kg and €2.10/kg to a top of €2.24/kg.
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