Weanling prices up on last year

Marts: Year-to-date indications are that the average price being paid to producers for weanlings is up on 2006 by a margin of just over 7%, with heifers showing marginally more gain than bulls.

The increase for both bulls and heifers year-to-date is averaging €10/100kg (€5/cwt) according to the official statistics as compiled from mart sales by the Department of Agriculture.

However, while the figures are based on “average” reports from the live sales around the country — there are winners and losers in this years trade which is following a different pattern to 2006 for individual categories of weanlings.