Weanling sales got off to a roaring start this week. A number of special sales have taken place in the southwest, with Iveragh Mart selling almost 500 weanlings through the ring on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Iveragh Mart manager Mike Kissane said: “We had a super trade all day with farmer buyers driving the trade. We sold very few weanlings under €1,000/head.”

Weanlings were up €150/head at the Kerry mart compared with the same sale last year.

Tight supplies of finished cattle have driven factory agents, finishers and Northern Ireland buyers to marts to secure cattle in the last few weeks

Autumn-born bull calves averaged €2.70/kg, while autumn-born heifer calves averaged €2.80/kg.

Analysis of Irish Farmers Journal MartBids data in the last month shows that cull cows and factory-fit cattle were up over €250/head on the same period in 2020.

Tight supplies of finished cattle have driven factory agents, finishers and Northern Ireland buyers to marts to secure cattle in the last few weeks.

Cull cow prices of over €2.60/kg were paid this week in marts across the country. This has led to a lot of well-fleshed, heavy cull cows passing the €2,000/head mark in recent days.

Prime cattle quotes continue to improve, with a €4.40/kg base price available for heifers and €4.35/kg for bullocks.