Mart managers across the country are confident in their outlook for the coming week’s cattle trade as live exporters have claimed they will boycott sales in protest of what they said are concerns around the animal health and vaccination status of cattle presented for sale.

Marts have been keen to state that the majority of export-type weanlings would have been bought and shipped by this stage in the year, with more weanlings better-suited to farmer buyers being those expected from now on.

“The four marts are well-booked for the week and we are going ahead with business by all accounts,” general manager of Aurivo marts Stephen Hannon told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Aurivo marts are well-booked for the coming week, its manager Stephen Hannon has said. / Jack Caffrey

“There are plenty of store cattle that have been sold that now need to be replaced on farms so we aren’t expecting any shortage of buyers.

“More farmer-type calves would be coming through from now on, more of the golden Charolais-crosses bought up by farmers, rather than exporters.”

Hannon stated that, while “understood where the exports were coming from,” it is “not good timing” for announcing a boycott as the number of weanlings walking through mart rings is nearing its yearly peak.

Farmer buyers to be active in Carnew

David Quinn reported a similar sentiment on the types of cattle offered for sale in marts this week as not being the typical export-type weanlings.

Carnew mart's David Quinn warned farmers against paying much heed to shippers' "hot air" on the boycott.

Quinn, the manager of Carnew Mart, was keen to warn farmers not to pay too much heed to what could amount to just “hot air” from some shippers’ yards, generating chatter but not impacting the cattle trade.

“From our point of view, most of the real muscly weanlings have passed through and it is stock more suited to farmer buyers that will be coming through from now on,” Quinn told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“We are not making any changes and we expected the usual number of stock with farmer-buyers very active in the trade.

“I can’t know for sure but I do believe that there will be exporters present at marts next week,” he commented.

Business as usual in Ennis

With over 900 animals booked in to Ennis Mart for its sale on Tuesday, manager Martin McNamara said he believes it will be “business as usual” on the day.

The cast majority of weanlings sold in Ennis Mart were snapped up by farmer buyers last week, according to Martin McNamara. / David Ruffles

A sale of weanling bulls and heifers will take place, as well as calves, runners and suckler stock in the other ring.

“I believe the exporters we’re dealing with will most likely be in attendance tomorrow. Personally, I don’t think there’ll be any great fear of the trade, bar there are specialised high E grade animals. It might affect those,” he said.

McNamara added that at the mart’s sale of bull weanlings last week, just around 10% went to exporters.

“The rest of them were bought by farmers and bull beef finishers. Some farmers will see this as an opportunity to go out and buy,” the mart manager stated.