Suckler farmers could be looking to finishers and feedlots to buy their weanlings as live exports have slowed. The total exported to early September was 17,522 – actually the same as 2017.

But now, shipments to Turkey have ground to a halt and while exports to EU markets are up on last year they’re still way off the glory years of 2006 to 2010.

The disruption in Turkey is due to weakening of the lira. There has been no significant buying for that market since July and that has hit mart prices.

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Turkey was an important outlet for weanlings in the last quarters of 2016 and 2017, taking 17,575 and 13,684 head, respectively. The same was hoped for 2018 but that is in doubt.

There is still strong demand in Turkey for imported live cattle and meat and Irish cattle are seen as healthy and of high quality.

Italy

Italy was a big market for Irish weanlings in the years 2006 to 2011, paying top prices for top stock.

In 2010, for example, some 36,366 weanlings went there and another 17,506 went to Spain. Economic recession hit demand in these markets hard. Last year, exports were 6,039 head to Italy and just 2,255 to Spain. So far this year, 2,938 head have gone to Italy. Exports to Spain have increased and stand at 5,985 head to date.

The total number of weanlings exported in 2010 exceeded 68,000 head with the majority going to EU markets. In recent years, exports settled in the range of 30,000 to 40,000 head, helped by Turkish buying.