How many farmers vs cattle dealers actually buy or sell cattle at the mart?
The number of Irish farmers that sell cattle at the mart has remained largely steady over the past three years.
Interestingly, the number of farmers buying cattle at the mart is much lower than the numbers that sell cattle and has decreased slightly since 2024.
While farmers account for the vast majority of animals that are bought and sold at marts, 'dealer' herd numbers account for almost 400,000 cattle purchases at marts with farmers buying over 1.4 million cattle at marts in 2025.
The table below details key statistics on farmer cattle trade at marts over the past three years:
| Farmer mart activity | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of farmers selling | 79,383 | 78,652 | 78,708 |
| No. of farmers buying: | 40,535 | 41,481 | 40,615 |
| Avg. no of cattle bought/farmer: | 35 | 36 | 36 |
| Avg. no of cattle sold/farmer: | 23 | 24 | 24 |
A 'dealer' is classified as a person who buys and resells more than 100 bovine animals within 30 days of buying animals in any 12 month period.
A dealer must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) by applying through their regional veterinary office.
According to figures obtained by Agriland from DAFM, 78,708 farmers sold cattle at the mart in 2025.
The table below details key statistics on cattle dealer trade at marts over the past three years:
| Dealer mart activity | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of dealers selling | 215 | 200 | 205 |
| No. of dealers buying: | 257 | 250 | 251 |
| Avg. no of cattle bought/dealer: | 3,931 | 4,377 | 4,807 |
| Avg. no of cattle sold/dealer: | 104 | 108 | 94 |
Despite just over 250 'cattle dealer' herds buying in marts across Ireland, the average number of cattle bought by each of these dealer herds is substantial, reaching over 4,800 in 2025.
These dealer herd numbers sell very few cattle at marts as most of the cattle purchased by 'dealer' herds are sold privately.
The figures show the importance of livestock marts to farmers across Ireland as a sale outlet for their cattle.
