Export drives weanling trade at Mayo mart's Tuesday sale

THERE was a big sale again this week of weanlings at Balla Mart's Tuesday weanling sale, with farmer sellers travelling from near and far with quality calves.

Weanlings suitable for export got some touch as trade is export driven at the moment, especially in the bulls.

Quality Charolais bulls around 300kg were hard to buy with demand from farmers for feeding.

Bulls 200kg to 350kg averaged €4.56/kg, with the tops making over €5.30/kg (see below). Bull weanlings 350kg to 450kg averaged €4.48/kg and heavier bulls 450kg plus averaged €4.32/kg.

Examples of bulls prices:

285kg CHX €1,760 (€6.18/kg)

390kg BBX €2,470 (€6.33/kg)

450kg BBX €2,800 (€6.22/kg)

575kg BB €3,280 (€5.70/kg)

The best of the roans or shapely Belgian Blue bulls with good colour were all bought for export to Holland at an average of around €5.80 plus per kg, with some Belgian Blues making over that.

A cracking February ‘24 BB bull weighing 575kg made €3,280, sold by a farmer from Tubbercurry.

Farmers were very active in the heifer ring and quality has not slipped much there. As usual, the heifers seeing the best prices were those with good breeding potential.

Lighter store heifers 200kg to 350kg averaged €4.50/kg, heifers 350kg to 450kg averaged €4.51/kg, and those 450kg plus averaged 4.46/kg.

Examples of heifer prices:

300kg BBX €2,000 (€6.67/kg)

345kg BBX €2,420 (€7.01/kg)

435kg BBX €2,780 (€6.39/kg)

A year old BBX weighing 435kg was sold for €2,780 (€6.39/kg) by a farmer from Ballinrobe.

An eight-month-old BBX heifer weighing 345kg was bought for €2,420 (€7.01/kg), sold by a farmer who travelled all the way from Co. Clare.

The next weanling sale will be on April 22, with booking on Thursday, April 17, on 0818 301 401 between 9.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Again, this sale is expected to be big so booking is advised at 9.30 a.m.