Weanlings reaching €3/kg

UP to €3/kg is being paid for top quality Belgian Blue weanlings for export as the trade for autumn 2007 builds up at the live sales at the marts around the country.

Reports from sales show that many of these top quality weanlings are topping €1000/head which is on par with the 2006 season, but the plainer and the lighter weanlings are reckoned to be down by €60-€90/head on last season at this early stage of the annual autumn trade.

The annual weanling show and sale at Macroom Mart takes place today with a good entry of stock expected and a firm trade predicted. In the noted suckler herd region of the country, county Clare, there is a large entry of quality stock for the Limousin Weanling Show and Sale at Ennis Mart on Tuesday next, August 28 where the sale of the bulls will get under way at 11am.

Clare Marts were one of the pioneers of support for improved breeding in the suckler herd through financial incentives for the purchase of quality sires some years ago and this policy is producing dividends in the quality of stock now coming from the suckler herds in the region.

Clare Marts are operating a separate section for vaccinated weanlings and the voluntary scheme for vaccinated weanlings through which the export buyers are contributing €10/head, which is then passed back to the sellers to partly cover the cost of vaccination, is reported to be working well.

The Annual Weanling Show and Sale at Kanturk Mart will be held on September 4, with sales weekly thereafter for the season.

Dungarvan Mart has announced the first weanling sale for 2007 will be held at the mart on September 13. Fermoy Mart will hold the first weanling sale of 2007 on September 21 and the Annual Weanling Show and Sale at the mart will be held on October 5.

For more details on any of these sales enquiries should be made directly to the mart.