Weanling prices on the slide

Marts: Although there is activity in the marts again this week for weanlings, prices are easing back for all types, but particularly for the plainer and lighter weanlings which have become harder to sell.

Some of the plain light bull weanlings are selling back to €100-€150 over €/kg and the plain light heifers are making less than €100 over with larger numbers on offer at this weeks sales.

The announcement on the lifting of the ban on OTM cattle, to allow the older animals back into the food chain in Britain after November 7 has dampened the enthusiasm of finishers targeting the spring-early summer trade next year, because it will lead to more domestic supplies of beef on the market in Britain, - a market that Irish exporters have become reliant on for up to 60% of export sales.