Camera at the Mart: quality continentals over €3/kg in Skibbereen

On Friday 25 September, Skibbereen Mart held its weekly cattle and weanling sale with over 500 weanlings entered.

Mart manager Tom McCarthy said that there was a great entry of good-quality continental-bred weanlings.

“We were very happy with the amount of quality weanlings entered in Friday’s sale. These types were in great demand with some strong prices paid, which had a positive effect on all classes of stock.”

Weanling heifers

Good-quality continental-type weanling heifers from 250kg to 300kg were making from €2.80/kg to €3.10/kg in a lot of cases, while more average types were moving at around the €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg.

Heavier types from 330kg to 400kg were trading between €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg for top-quality lots, while plainer types were back anything from 15c/kg to 25c/kg depending on quality.

Weanling bulls

Lighter weanling bulls from 250kg to 320kg were trading between €2.70 and €3.10 for decent-quality continental types, while heavier weanlings from 350kg to 440kg were moving from between €2.60/kg and €2.80/kg in many cases. The top prices here were for spring-born Charolais-, Limousin- and Belgian Blue-sired bull weanlings. Older or plainer bull weanlings were slightly easier, making around the €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg mark for the most part.

“There was good activity around the ring from both farmers and exporters, but it was the farmers that were willing to go that small bit more to secure the real top-quality weanling,” said Tom.

“Exporters were buying a good-quality calf also, but were looking to work within a certain price range.

“We are just heading into peak numbers for weanling sales at this stage, perhaps a little slower than usual which is due in part to farmers making sure they hit the targets for the BEEP-S scheme in relation to meal feeding calves for two weeks post-weaning.

“Also the dry weather over the last fortnight has seen farmers hold on to stock to gain extra kilos from grass. If the weather was to turn I am sure you would start to see farmers move in greater numbers over the next few weeks.”