Cattle numbers have started to ramp up at marts around the country, with some big sales reported in the west this week.

A wet week and further heavy rainfall has meant some cattle have had to be housed.

Some farmers are choosing the option of going straight off the field to the sale yard.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking to mart managers around the country, they expect numbers to stay steady for a few weeks and then fall back.

A good trade has encouraged a lot of cattle out a little earlier than normal this year and this is expected to help the trade as we proceed through autumn.

Weanlings the highlight

Weanlings continues to be the highlight of the mart trade at the moment, with exporters and southern feeders competing for them.

Lighter weanlings just under 300kg were an exceptional trade this week.

Northern Ireland demand continues to be very strong, with big numbers moving north over the last number of weeks.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Ballyjamesduff Mart manager John Tevlin said: “The north men back around the ring has given a huge lift to the trade in the last few weeks, with all indications that NI won’t drop over the next few months.

“There appears to be a shortage of forward store cattle for feeding in NI and feeders are gearing up for the Christmas trade. The beef price gap and exchange rate also mean these farmers have a stronger hand when it comes to buying stores.”

Taking a look at this week’s Irish Farmers Journal Martbids analysis table, we see that heifers were back a touch this week in marts.

Top-quality 400kg to 500kg heifers came in at €2.92/kg, a drop of 18c/kg on the previous week’s trading.

Heavier heifers in the 500kg to 600kg bracket were back a little less at €3.06/kg, a drop of 11c/kg on the previous week.

Heavier heifers were also back, with the exception of the poorest-quality heavy heifers which held steady this week.

Bullocks

Bullocks saw a steady week’s trading, with just minor movements across the weight and quality categories.

Heavy bullocks continue to be an exceptional trade, with top-quality bullocks over 600kg knocking on the door of €3/kg again this week.

Top-quality bullocks in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket came in at €3/kg, while average-quality bullocks in the same weight bracket came in at €2.50/kg, the same price as last week.

The weanling bull market continues to be very strong, with heavier bulls the only exception this week. Top-quality 300kg to 400kg weanling bulls came in at €3.76/kg this week, a similar trade to last week.

Exporters remain very active for the average-type bull, with average bull weanlings in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket coming in at €3.23/kg. Heavier bulls were back a little on last week’s trading, with top-quality bulls over 450kg selling at €3.42/kg this week, a drop of 18c/kg on last week’s price.

Heavy heifer weanlings had a big week, with top-quality heifers in the 400kg to 450kg weight bracket coming in at €4.00/kg this week, a lift of 3c/kg on the previous week.