Wet weather and housing has had an impact on the mart trade this week, with heifers taking the brunt of the blow in terms of prices coming back.

Mart managers are continuing to report strong numbers in marts, with some farmers selling cattle rather than house them over the past week.

Factory agents and large feeders are still active for cattle, but are a little more measured in their buying this week.

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Live exporters have eased up a little over the last week, with less competition around the ring evident.

Taking a look at the overall figures for 2025, there have been 41,166 weanlings exported up to 25 October, back 6,521 on the same period in 2024.

The number of store cattle exported is also back, with 32,782 exported so far this year, back 9,081 on the previous year.

Calf exports have taken a big lift in 2025, up 25,047 head or 12.6% on the 2024 number. So far in 2025, there have been 223,240 calves exported.

The rise in beef prices during 2025 has also put a dent in finished cattle exports, with 9,700 fewer finished cattle exported so far in 2025.

Some of the stand-out countries for exports have been Italy and Spain. Exports to Italy total 38,465 head, up 2,707 on 2024. Spain has taken 111,019, up 16,283 head on 2024.

Speaking to George Candler in Kilkenny Mart, they had a bigger sale of cattle last Thursday, with numbers increasing due to the wet weather.

“Some sellers are now perhaps over-valuing some animals, especially those with a Holstein and Jersey influence,” he said.

However, he did point to good demand for better-quality Friesian cattle.

“On a more positive note, the better-type British Friesians are exceeding €4 per kilo. Beef bullocks peaked at €3,340, with the top price per kg being a pen of Belgian Blue bullocks which weighed 600kg and sold for €2,940.

“In the lighter bullock category, five Charolais bullocks which weighed 299kg sold for €2,050 or €6.86/kg.”

The heifer sale had a 100% clearance. Tuesday’s cull cow sale also saw a very solid trade, with an increase of €10 to €30/head on the previous week.

Taking a look at this week’s Martbids analysis, we see that it was a mixed week for the trade, with red arrows dominating.

Top-quality heifers in the 500kg to 600kg weight category were down to €5.00/kg this week, back 29c/kg on the previous week. Average-quality heifers in the same weight bracket were back 19c/kg.

The bullock trade was steadier, with top-quality bullocks in the 500kg to 600kg weight bracket coming in at €5.08/kg this week, up 29c/kg.

The weanling bull trade also eased this week, with top-quality weanling bulls in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket coming in at €6.30/kg, back 19c/kg on the previous week.

Average-quality bulls in the same weight bracket were back 18c/kg to €5.51/kg this week.

Top-quality weanling bulls in the 400kg to 450kg weight bracket were unchanged this week at €5.93/kg. Average-quality weanling heifers in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket also came in unchanged at €5.44/kg.