A boat of heavy bulls loaded at Greenore Co Louth last week is now sailing for Turkey.

The exporter, Viastar, has continued to purchase heavy bulls and is expected to send another shipment in June – the final one required to fill its current order.

Separately, all of the major cattle exporters have now begun buying small numbers of weanling bulls in anticipation of exports of such cattle to Turkey commencing in the coming weeks.

This led to intense competition between buyers at some mart sales over the past week. Exporters are keen to have stock on hand for when the weanling bull trade is opened to private Turkish importers, as is hoped will happen next month.

A number of Turkish buyers have also visited Ireland in recent weeks.

The consignment currently sailing will bring the total numbers exported to Turkey in 2018 to just under 8,000 head. Over 20,000 Irish cattle were exported to Turkey in 2016 and 30,000 in 2017.