Raphoe Livestock Mart in Donegal held a show and sale of weanlings on Tuesday evening 19 October.

Commenting after the sale, mart manager Anne Harkin said: “We are delighted with how the sale went. Good-quality cattle commanded some really strong prices on the night.

“There is great confidence in the beef sector at the moment and it is wonderful to see farmers being rewarded for producing top-quality stock.”

This Charolais heifer, born October 2020, weighed 465kg and made €1,130 (€2.43/kg).

Pressure off

With just over 120 cattle forward for sale, numbers were not huge, but probably reflect the current situation on farms, with decent weather and plentiful grass supply taking the pressure off farmers to sell stock.

That being said, what was forward for sale was met with good demand and strong prices reflected in the clearance rate of over 94% on the night.

This October 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 460kg and sold for €1,140 (€2.47/kg).

Bull weanlings

Lighter bull weanlings weighing 200kg to 250kg averaged €2.54/kg.

However, there was a large range within this weight band from €1.80/kg for some Angus and Hereford dairy-crosses up to €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg for nice-quality suckler-bred Charolais and Limousin bull calves.

Bull calves from 250kg to 300kg averaged €2.79/kg, with plainer suckler-bred types trading around the €2.30/kg to €2.35/kg mark, while better-quality stock were making €2.70/kg to €2.80/kg with ease and up to €4.23/kg for a January-born Limousin weighing 260kg (€1,100).

An average price of €2.49/kg was paid for bull weanlings from 300kg to 350kg, while there was huge demand for heavier weanlings over 350kg averaging €2.55/kg.

The top price was for a February-born Limousin bull weighing 505kg that sold for €1,560 (€3.09/kg).

This Charolais heifer weighing 395kg and born in February 2021 made €990 (€2.50/kg).

Heifer weanlings

Heifer weanlings weighing 200kg to 250kg averaged €2.65/kg and topped out at €3.19/kg for a 235kg Limousin (€750).

Those weighing from 250kg to 300kg averaged €2.77/kg, with very few trading below the €2.40/kg mark.

There was smaller numbers of heavier heifers forward for sale, with those weighing 300kg to 350kg averaging €2.42/kg and over-350kg heifers similar at €2.43/kg.

However, better-quality types were still making €2.70/kg to €2.80/kg with ease.

This April-born Limousin bull weighed 240kgs and sold for €650 (€2.70/kg).

This Hereford-cross bull calf, born March 2021, weighed 225kg and sold for €420 (€1.87/kg).

This March 2021-born Limousin weighed 445kg and sold for €1,110 (€2.49/kg).

This 465kg Belgian Blue, born in February 2021, sold for €1,260 (€2.71/kg).

This Limousin, born February 2021, weighed 505kg and sold for €1,560 (€3.08/kg).

This 430kg Limousin bull, born February 2021, sold for €1,140 (€2.65/kg).