This April 2023 born Limousin heifer weighed 590kg and sold for €3,110 (€5.27/kg).

Elphin Mart held a special weaning sale last Monday evening.

Weaning numbers in marts have been getting a lot tighter in recent weeks, helping to keep a floor under prices.

Just under 100 bull weanlings and 50 heifers went through the ring at Monday’s sale.

On the demand side of things, it remains very strong, with both exporters and farmers driving the trade.

Belgian Blue weanlings were the order of the day at Monday’s sale, with a special entry of a number of Belgian Blue weanling bulls and heifers hitting some very high prices.

A number of well-made Belgian Blue heifers hit €6/kg, with the vast majority of the top-quality weanlings in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket hitting over €5/kg.

Top call

Top call in the heifer section went to an April 2023-born Limousin heifer weighing 590kg selling for €3,110 (€5.27/kg).

This was followed by an April 2024-born Belgian Blue heifer weighing 455kg selling for €2,690 (€5.91/kg).

In the dry cow section, the best cows hit €4/kg, with a cull bull weighing 1,110kg hitting €4,000.

Elphin Mart manager Cairan Lynch said: “Weanlings remain a super trade, with the majority of weanlings sold here on Monday going for export. Farmer buyers also had a very strong hand, with farmer buyers being particularly active for bull weanlings.”

Elphin Mart will hold its last Wednesday sale of the spring for bullocks and heifers on 7 May.

In video

This April 2024-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 455kg and sold for €2,690 (€5.91/kg).

This April 2024-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €2,300 (€6.05/kg).

This March 2024-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 435kg and sold for €2,270 (€5.22/kg).

This April 2024-born heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €2,000 (€5.26/kg).

This October 2016-born Charolais stock bull weighed 1,110kg and sold for €4,000.

This April 2013-born Limousin dry cow weighed 915kg and sold for €3,650 (€3.99/kg).