Bull weanling prices up by 51c/kg

THE great American novelist Samuel Clemens better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, famously wrote “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” following misinformed news paper reporting on the state of his health.

It reminded me a bit of the weanling trade over the last while. While there has been understandable concern and speculation on the possible prospects for the trade as the autumn progresses, I am happy to report that the figures from this week’s ringside report show a trade that has started its late summer run on a very positive note.

Ringside figures show your 100-299kg bull weanling at an average price of €2.75/kg, which is up €0.51/kg to an average value at this weight of €275-822/hd, in the 300399kg section the movement last week wasn’t so dramatic - just 3c/kg or €9-12/hd, which leaves the average price at €2.25/kg or €675-897/hd.

Meanwhile, the heavier 400-600kg bull moves up 7c/ kg to €2.15/kg.

In the heifer ring the 100299/kg weanling heifers rose 6c/kg to €2.49/kg, while the 300-399 put on 28c/kg to close the gap on her lighter sister to just 8c/kg at €2.41/ kg.

Individual marts I spoke to largely echoed these rises and then some. For example, weanling bulls at Ballinakill ranged in price from €2.102.65/kg, while weanling heifers made from €2.20-2.75/kg, with the top end prices here broadly in line with the average prices for both Limousin and Charolais in the ringside 300-399kg section at €2.61/kg and €2.62/kg, respectively.

Castlerea mart saw prices hit over €3.00/kg for selected lots of bulls, particularly in the 100-299kg section with 260kg Charolais making