This August 2024-born Belgian Blue bull weanling weighed 525kg and sold for €3,820 (€7.28/kg).

Carrigallen Mart held a special sale of autumn-born weanlings last Saturday.

The sale attracted an entry of almost 200 weanlings. A number of exporters was in attendance, with some big money being for the best-quality lots in the sale.

Farmers were also in the market for weanlings, but were priced out of it by exporters for U and E grade weanlings.

The biggest number of weanlings in the sale were between 300kg and 400kg and the top third of these weanlings came in at €6.57/kg, with the average weanlings in the same weight bracket coming in at €6.01/kg.

The top weanlings in the 450kg-plus weight category came in at €6.60/kg, while a number of weanlings in the 200kg to 300kg weight bracket crossed the €7/kg mark.

Top call of the sale went to an August 2024-born Belgian Blue bull weanling weighed 525kg that sold for €3,820 (€7.28/kg).

Sixteen weanlings in the sale made over €3,000/head.

'Great animals'

Commenting on the sale, Carrigallen Mart manager Helen Kells said: “We had a lot of customers for weanlings on Saturday. There was some great animals in the sale.

"There have been a lot of autumn-born weanlings sold already, so I don’t think you are going to see huge numbers of weanlings appear on the market any time soon.

"We are currently getting some queries about holding a TB-restricted sale and hope to hold one in the next few weeks. If any restricted herds wish to enter the online sale, contact us at the mart.”

This July 2024-born Belgian Blue bull weanling weighed 495kg and sold for €3,780 (€7.74/kg).

This September 2024-born Belgian Blue weanling weighed 590kg and sold for €3,700 (€6.27/kg).

This November 2024-born Charolais bull weanling weighed 520kg and sold for €3,600 (€6.92/kg).

This June 2024-born Belgian Blue bull weanling weighed 510kg and sold for €3,500 (€6.86/kg).