Storm Éowyn left its mark on some of the country’s marts at the end of last week. Along with cancellations on Friday due to the red weather alert, many marts weren’t able to get going over the weekend due to power disruptions.

A number of marts also had significant wind damage to their yard and shed areas, with Cootehill Mart, Co Cavan, and Carrigallen Mart and the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society yard in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, all having to undergo repair work in the last few days.

The storm force winds didn’t affect the trade though, with this week’s Martbids analysis table full of green arrows again.

Speaking to mart managers around the country, it’s exporters who continue to drive the trade, with huge demand for lighter-type weanlings in marts this week.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Skibbereen Mart manager Keith Mullaney said: “Exporters are really looking for that weanling between 320kg and 420kg.

“Breed is probably irrelevant once the quality is there, but there are always the really big prices being paid for the Belgian Blue-cross-Limousin weanlings.

“We have a lot of farmers vaccinating weanlings down here now. We are encouraging them to do it. We need to make sure the weanlings didn’t run into any issues when they reach their final destination, so it makes sense to protect them.

“You want exporters to be buying your calves again next year and not avoiding them because of issues.”

The cull cow trade has also kicked on. Factory agents are paying the equivalent of €6/kg and over in marts this week to get cows.

Kilkenny Mart had over 200 cows through the ring last Thursday, with up to €3.20/kg being paid for good-quality heavy dry cows.

Heavy beef cattle were also an exceptional trade, with three Charolais bullocks weighing 775kg selling for €2,810 (€3.63/kg).

Another pair of Charolais bullocks weighing 700kg sold for €2,610 (€3.73/kg).

Elphin Mart had a special sale of heifers on Wednesday, with some huge prices being paid for beef heifers, driven by Northern Ireland demand.

Taking a look at this week’s Martbids analysis table, the bullock trade kicked on, with the biggest increases coming for the heaviest bullocks.

The top third of bullocks in the 600kg-plus weight category came in at €3.84/kg this week.

Average-quality bullocks in the same weight category came in at €3.44/kg.

Lighter bullocks also met good demand, with top-quality bullocks in the 400kg to 500kg weight category coming in at €3.60/kg this week.

It was a similar story in the heifer rings, with the highest money going to heavy heifers.

Top-quality heifers in the 600kg-plus weight category came in at €3.64/kg this week, up 6c/kg on the previous week.

Angus and Hereford heifers in the 500kg to 600kg weight bracket came in at €3.05/kg.

The weanling trade also kicked on this week, with all weight categories coming in over €4/kg.