Gortatlea Mart

Despite a slight easing in exporter activity, demand for quality weanlings remains strong, with farmers continuing to underpin the trade, according to Gortatlea Mart manager Maurice Bronan.

Brosnan said exporters are “not as strong” as they have been, but added that farmer demand is helping to maintain a steady trade.

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He said light weanlings are continuing to attract interest.

Quality is proving to be the biggest factor influencing prices, with buyers paying a clear premium for well presented, U-grade stock.

He pointed to 400kg animals making between €2,500 and €3,000 as an example of the premiums available for the right type of stock.

Export market

Blue bulls suitable for the export market continue to meet strong demand, while poorer-quality blue cattle are proving more difficult to sell.

Brosnan also noted that more in-calf heifers are coming onto the market, while some farmers are beginning to reduce their stock numbers.

He said there is currently a significant gap between the prices being achieved in the mart ring and those available through the factory, encouraging farmers to produce the type of cattle that buyers are willing to pay a premium for.

“Farmers are putting a huge amount of work into their cattle to make sure they get the right price,” he said.

With autumn weanling sales approaching, Brosnan stressed that preparation in the weeks leading up to the sale can make a significant difference to the final price achieved.

Vaccinations

He advised farmers not to let management slip once calves are weaned, encouraging them to ensure calves are properly dosed, and vaccinated, while keeping them on ration before sale.

“Farmers put so much work into calves from birth right up to weaning. It’s important to keep that final push going by continuing to feed them, vaccinating and dosing before bringing them to the ring,” he said.

Kingscourt Mart

Kingscourt Mart manager Lisa Keenan is optimistic ahead of the autumn weanling trade, expecting similar entries to last year, although numbers remain below those seen in previous years.

Keenan mentioned seeing suckler farmers leaving the sector, with some transitioning to calf-to-beef systems.

Keenan said beef prices have strengthened over the past two months. Demand for cattle remains high, with Keenan expecting farmers to drive the trade in the coming months, describing them as the mart’s “bread and butter”.

Buyers continue to seek top-quality cattle, with farmers and feedlots willing to pay a premium for well-bred stock. Finishers also remain active.

Dose in advance

Keenan encouraged farmers to ensure weanlings are properly prepared before sale. She advised sellers to dose cattle in advance, and to have weanlings properly dehorned and tagged before sale.

Keenan added that farmers with TB-restricted herds still have an outlet for weanlings, with a restricted sale held at Kingscourt Mart every Tuesday.

Donegal Mart

Donegal Mart manager Eimear McGuinness said last autumn’s weanling trade was very strong, with particularly good-quality cattle coming forward.

She said the traditional autumn trade has changed somewhat in the recent years, with more weanlings being offered for sale during the spring. Numbers are expected to begin increasing again from mid-September.

She added that prices have started to strengthen and stressed the importance of farmers vaccinating weanlings to help maintain buyer and export demand.