This April 2024-born Charolais bull weanling weighed 455kg and sold for €2,200 (€4.84/kg).

Weanlings remain a super trade with some exceptional prices being paid for top quality weanlings in marts in the last few weeks.

A number of exporters are under pressure to fill some big contracts and have pulled out all the stops to fill loads over the last week. Belgian Blue weanlings continue to top sales with €5-€6/kg now easily achieved for the right type of weanlings.

What’s also helping the trade is the smaller number of weanlings that are on the market at the moment.

Steady trickle

A steady trickle of autumn-born weanlings continue to be sold at marts and this accompanied by the fact that there are just over 16,000 less suckler births this spring means weanling numbers will be tighter come autumn.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Clare marts general manager Martin McNamara said: “Exporters have ramped up activity in recent weeks and they added more energy to an already buoyant trade.

"Farmer buyers are also anxious for stock. Good grass growth over the last two to three weeks has left some farmers wanting more cattle and the seven-month customers need to have stock purchased by the end of the month to get their ANC payment in 2025.”

The cull cow trade has also seen a little more life in it in the last seven to 10 days with factories back out in force looking for heavy cows suitable for slaughter and store cows for further feeding.

Video at the mart

This August 2024-born Belgian Blue bull weanling weighed 420kg and sold for €2,470 (€5.88/kg)

This April 2024-born Charolais bull weanling weighed 485kg and sold for €2,190 (€4.52/kg)

This September 2024-born Belgian Blue bull weanling weighed 395kg and sold for €2,150 (€5.44/kg)

These pair of April 2024-born Charolais bull weanlings weighed 447kg and sold for €2,090 (€4.67/kg)

This August 2024-born Limousin bull weanling weighed 435kg and sold for €2,080 (€4.78/kg).