The weanling trade continues to fly high, with a number of big weanling sales taking place across the country over the weekend.
Last week’s Irish Farmers Journal analysis showed that weanling prices are running at a five-year high, with a bigger gap opening up between the bottom third and top third of weanlings. In the 300kg to 400kg category, this gap now stands at €300.
Elphin had a big show of weanlings on Monday for the annual Irish Charolais Cattle Society show and sale. This sale always brings out the best weanlings and a lot of customers aim for this sale for their annual purchases.
Bull calves
Top-quality bull calves in the 300kg to 400kg bracket met the best trade, with €3/kg and over it being regularly achieved during the sale.
One of the lighter first-prizewinning calves weighed 310kg and sold for €1,350.
Lighter bull calves were an especially good trade, with close to €4/kg being achieved for a number of choice lots.
Average-quality calves were a little harder sold, with these around the €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg mark.
@farmersjournal in Elphin mart with MartBids. Big show of weanlings in Elphin today. Good quality weanlings a great trade. This January 2021 born @irishcharolais heifer weighed 420kg selling for €1240. @FJBeef pic.twitter.com/Y46RtDDBvE
— Adam Woods (@ajwwoods) October 4, 2021
Heifer ring
In the heifer ring, it was a similar story, with the lighter calves being a very good trade.
Breeding types here were in hot demand, with the top price of the day going to a Charolais heifer weighing 345kg and selling for €1,550.
Meanwhile, €3/kg was common in this ring during the day as well, with a number of northern customers very active around the ring.
For a full report on the Elphin weanling show and sale, see this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.