It’s been another steady week in marts around the country, with the weanling trade taking a positive turn over the last seven days.

The top third of bull weanlings across all weight categories hit over €3/kg this week, with a top average price of €3.29/kg coming in for bull weanlings in the 300kg to 400kg bracket.

Heavier weanlings also improved in trade this week, with a number of large bull finishers very active in marts purchasing heavy bulls for finishing.

Bulls in the top third quality bracket and in the 400kg to 450kg weight bracket moved up to €3.18/kg on the back of the strong demand.

Weanling heifers have also seen positive movement, with top-quality heifers in the 300kg to 400kg bracket moving up to €3.18/kg this week.

All categories of weanling heifers saw improvement this week, with mart managers reporting more farmer activity around mart rings this week.

Mart throughput is still very small, but activity is expected to ramp up towards the end of this week, with a number of different special autumn weanlings taking place around the country. Exporters are also putting a floor in the trade for plainer types.

Solid trade

Heavy bullocks remain a solid trade, with good feedlot and factory demand over the last few weeks.

Bullocks in the 500kg to 600kg category are hitting €2.80/kg, with lighter bullocks at a similar trade.

The dry cow trade saw an improvement this week, with wholesalers hoovering up any heavy cows fit for slaughter.

Top-end cows are still hitting €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg with cows lacking flesh back at €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg.

Poorer Friesian cows are back at €1.50/kg to €1.80/kg, depending on weight and quality.

Exports

Calves have continued to dominate the live export trade in the first half of the year, but the calf export season has now come to an end.

Exports

Bord Bia figures show that there have been 164,411 calves exported up to the beginning of July 2022, a 22% increase on last year and represents a full return to pre-COVID trading levels.

The Netherlands has been the stand-out market for Irish cattle this year, with 94,967 animals (predominantly calves) exported to the region so far in 2022. Spain has also been an important market for Irish cattle, with 56,847 head exported so far this year.

While this is below the 61,243 head exported in the same period last year, the level of trade has improved as the year has progressed.

Exports of weanling cattle continue to operate ahead of previous years, driven by the increase in cattle being exported to third country markets, but also by some additional weanlings to customers in the EU.

One of the country’s largest live exporters is currently putting together a shipment of bull weanlings, which will set sail for Egypt by the end of August.

Meanwhile, the number of store and adult cattle being exported continues to trend behind previous years, mostly due to a fall in cattle exports to Northern Ireland.