Thank God summer has finally arrived. I thought for a while that it would never get here. But it has.

As you well know at this stage, I’m a glass half full man, rather than a glass half empty. Indeed so long as I have any drink at all, I’m happy.

Interest in beef farming fostered and encouraged by Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition.

Chapel Steps, Patrick’s Place,

Strong beef prices will continue, driven by tight supplies and very buoyant demand, said IFA national livestock committee chairman Henry Burns.

Like any business, the live cattle trade depends on many interlinked elements to keep it steady.

Marts: The number of cattle on offer peaks for the season at the marts yesterday where the trade was maintained for quality lots, while the plainer cattle were an easier trade.

Marts: Despite the partial closedown of farm trading and processing yesterday in support of the IFA protest in Dublin over the WTO threat, there was a good show of cattle at Bandon mart, where prices were a shade easier than last week.

Marts: Producer confidence in beef is driving trade for the heavy beef animals to record heights as they edge up and up, as a result of competition and tight supplies on offer at the live sales.

Marts: Prices were maintained for most categories of stock at yesterday’s sales, the exception being the plainer store bullocks for which demand was a little quieter and prices tended a shade easier than last week.

Marts: There was strong demand for beef animals, especially for the quality stock, at yesterday's mart sales with the good sores also selling well.

A FIRM trade was maintained at the marts yesterday, particularly for the heavy and forward bullocks with heavy heifers also meeting with brisk demand.

THERE were gains of up to €25/head at the live sales at the marts yesterday where there was strong demand for both bullocks and heifers.

A BURGER made from 100% Aberdeen-Angus beef is set to capture 20% of sales in the 670 Burger King outlets in restaurants in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.

The seasonal drop in the number of cattle being marketed, coinciding with summer work on farms, became evident at the mart sales around the country yesterday.

There was a mixed trade for bullocks at yesterday’s mart sales, some centres reporting an improvement of up to €20/head for bullocks and heifers, while the trend through the week of an easing of prices continued at other locations.

Quality bullocks continued a very strong trade, but the lighter, younger and plain animals met with a noticeably quieter trade at yesterday’s sales.

Marts: There was a brisk spring-like trade for stock, which sent prices moving upwards by up to €25/head for choice lots in strong demand for all types at yesterday’s sales.

ABERDEEN Angus cattle farmers are set to benefit from extra sales through Burger King’s 11,100 restaurants around the world.

Marts: Heavy continental bullocks were a superb trade at Bandon Mart yesterday where up to €510 over €/kg was paid for choice lots at one of the largest sales of cattle at the centre for some time.

Marts: Prices were maintained at smaller sales of cattle at marts yesterday as farmers took time off to attend the National Ploughing Championships at Tullow, Co Carlow.

The dry weather is continuing to have a significant influence on the trade for store cattle, particularly for the lighter and younger animals for which demand is weak.

Marts: There was plenty of confidence among beef finishers to maintain prices for forward beef animals, but the same could not be said for farmers buying store cattle at yesterday’s mart sales.

Marts: Cattle prices lacked the recent sparkle at the sales yesterday, where the trade was quieter than last week, with smaller numbers on offer.

Marts: The trade for Friesian calves was weaker at the mart sales yesterday with prices for the Holstein-Friesian bulls showing the biggest drop.