The recent return of rain across many parts of the country has dampened fears of a slow autumn cattle trade.

Mart managers report strong sentiment among buyers hopeful of strong September and October grass growth.

“It has not hit the trade as much as it might have been expected to,” according to David Quinn of Carnew Mart.

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“That being said, plainer lighter cattle, especially on the plainer end of the trade, are back a bit but we are not seeing that with forward cattle.

“The godsend is the surplus fodder made earlier on in the year. That surplus has been well eaten into but with the hope is that more rain will set September up to be a good month for growth.”

It is difficult to see what way the cattle trade will go

In Bandon, Seán Dennehy has said that recent rains have greened farms up even if grass covers may be behind usual levels, although he noted farms further north appear slower to recover.

“It is difficult to see what way the cattle trade will go but it is shaping up to be steady if not stronger for the store trade, especially with forward steers,” he said. “Farmers do not seem too bad with fodder down around here and drystock farmers tend not to be overly stocked anyways.”

Mart manager of Gortalea Mart Maurice Brosnan sees export activity and beef prices remaining the main drivers of weanling buyer sentiment as autumn sales draw near.

“I can’t see the recent weather having much of an impact on the weanling trade. It tends to be the bad weather the creates the problems when you are struggling to keep cattle out,” he said.