Positive weanling outlook for rest of 2025

Mart managers are generally positive about the cattle trade for the back-end of the year, particularly with regard to the market for weanlings and lighter stores.

A combination of strong exporter buying and good farmer interest in the lighter cattle is continuing to ensure lively competition at ringside for these classes of cattle.

And mart managers forecast that the trade for weanlings and stores will hold over the coming months.

The market for fat bullocks and forward store cattle is not as certain. Prices were back €130-160/head for these animals over the last week – albeit from a very high base – and confidence has taken a knock as a consequence.

Stephen Hannon, Aurivo Marts

“The weanling trade will remain very strong,” Stephen Hannon of Aurivo Marts predicted.

Exporters were continuing to keep a floor on prices and there was no indication of demand from this quarter easing, said Hannon.

Hannon was not as confident with the fat cattle and forward stores.

Buyers purchasing cattle for winter finishing would have to pay €900-1,000/head more this autumn compared to previous years due to the surge in prices, he said.

“It’s a huge gamble,” he maintained.

A farmer finishing 100 cattle next spring will have to spend €90,000 to €100,000 more this autumn, Hannon pointed out.

He said factories and feedlots have been buying those heavy cattle so far.

“We still have to see the farmer buyer coming out for these cattle,” he explained.

PJ Mulvihill, Listowel Mart

The back-end trade has kicked off a month or three weeks early in the southwest this year, according to PJ Mulvihill of Listowel Mart.

Mulvihill could not envisage a fall-off in weanling prices.

He also forecast strong farmer demand for bucket-fed weanlings.

“Farmers are willing to give €1,200-€1,300 for Angus or Hereford bucket-fed weanlings, where they won’t give the €2,000 for store cattle,” Mulvihill said.

In terms of fat cattle, Mulvihill said factory agents were “not as anxious” for numbers last week. Prices dropped by more than €100/head as a result.

If the factories continue to successfully exert downward pressure on fat cattle prices, then this will have “a big impact on the forward store trade” in the coming months, Mulvihill maintained.

David Quinn, Carnew Mart

It has been a very busy few weeks at Carnew Mart, with cattle coming a lot earlier this year due to the excellent grass growth.

The recent wet weather has added to surge in cattle numbers, David Quinn explained.

“August numbers were 15% up for us. People are moving earlier and quicker,” Quinn said.

Buyers have also responded to the earlier trade.

“People who know their business are out buying cattle now, because they know the same numbers may not be there by mid-October,” he added.

Quinn said the trade remained “absolutely positive”, especially for weanlings and store cattle.

Elliot Potterton, Delvin Mart

“Weanlings won’t get any cheaper because they’re scarce,” said Elliot Potterton of Delvin Mart.

Potterton also predicted that “store cattle prices will hold”, on the back of strong farmer demand and tighter numbers.

However, he admitted to the Irish Farmers Journal that the factories have succeeded in “putting the brakes” on the trade for fat cattle and forward stores and this will impact prices over the next few months if they manage to maintain the pressure.