Positive price trends within the beef trade are filtering through to special sales of suckler weanlings, boosting buyer confidence and overall prices.
With sales kicking off over the last seven to 10 days, most reports indicate the prices for top quality weanlings are up 10p to 20p/kg on last autumn, adding around £70 to the value of a 350kg calf.
For the general run of animals weighing 330kg to 380kg, good quality continental weanlings are regularly making from 350p to 400p/kg.
At the top end of the market, heifer calves with excellent conformation and possessing show potential are returning higher prices. At sales held in recent days, prices in the region of 450p/kg have been paid, with some exceptional lots achieving around the 500p/kg mark.
Buying trends
Heifers are generating the most buying interest with mart mangers indicating a strong presence of regular buyers ringside.
But there is also a growing presence of younger farmers looking to break-in to the market, injecting further competition into the weanling trade.
Male calves sold as bullocks are commanding higher prices than bulls, particularly where stronger animals are being forwarded for sale.
Sales
On Monday, Swatragh Mart held its annual show and sale of Charolais weanlings and brisk bidding resulted in a red hot trade.
Heifer calves topped 504p/kg for 272kg, yielding a sale price of £1,370 with a top price per head of £1,720 for a 480kg animal. Bullocks sold to 434p/kg with a 318kg animal making £1,380.
Ballymena Mart held its first autumn sale on Saturday. Again, heifers were the standout trade with prices topping £4,000 for a 490kg Limousin with bullocks selling to £1,900 for Charolais bred animals.
Armoy Mart held its show and sale of Limousin calves late last week, with £1,520 paid for a 445kg heifer and the main run of animals making 340p to 380p/kg. Similar prices were also paid in Kilrea.
See page 60.