Marts contacted by Agriland today (Wednesday, October 1) have confirmed they are planning to continue weanling sales as normal next week.

Currently none of the marts contacted have any plans to change their existing weanling sale plans.

Several of the marts also said that they expect larger numbers of farmer customers to attend because of discussions that have taken place among some weanling exporters to temporarily pause purchasing weanlings at marts because of certain frustrations.

Manager of Gortatlea Mart in Co. Kerry, Maurice Brosnan, told Agriland he expects to see larger numbers of farmer-customers active at the Co. Kerry mart next week.

Padraig McElroy from Carnaross Mart in Co. Meath also confirmed that the weekly weanling sale at the mart will continue as normal next Tuesday (October 7).

Separately Aurivo Marts general manager, Stephen Hannon, also said that the following weanling sales will all proceed as normal:

Ballymote Mart in Co. Silgo;
Mohill Mart in Co. Leitrim;
Balla Mart in Co. Mayo;
Ballinrobe Mart in Co. Mayo.

He expects that farmer customers "will be out to buy weanlings in big numbers next week" and also highlighted that support payments are due to be issued to farmers shortly.

Meanwhile Elphin Mart in Co. Roscommon's heifer weanling show and sale will continue as planned next Monday evening (October 6).

Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow also confirmed its Wednesday evening weanling sale will be going ahead with "no issues" and Carnew Mart's Eugene Clune said he expects "every farmer weanling customer will be out in force next week".

Castleisland Mart in Co. Kerry has also indicated that its weanling sale will continue as normal.

Carrigallen Mart in Co. Leitrim will host its weanling bull show and sale this coming Saturday (October 4) with the weanling heifer show and sale taking place on Saturday, October 11.

Manorhamilton Mart in Co. Leitrim will also continue as planned with a weanling heifer sale on Monday, October 6.

The decision by marts to continue as normal with weanling sales next week comes as Agriland revealed yesterday (Tuesday, September 30) that some weanling exporters may consider pausing mart activity from next week because of certain frustrations.

Agriland has been told that a number of export customers for Irish weanlings have expressed frustration at the number of weanlings which have not been dosed or vaccinated before being sold at the mart.

The potential action at marts is being considered by some of the country's weanling exporters despite concerns from other weanling exporters that "it is not a good way to do business".

Several of the countries main weanling export buyers have told Agriland there is a general acknowledgment that something needs to be done to ensure weanlings being sold have been vaccinated, but there is not full agreement that pulling out of marts is the best course of action.

There is no firm confirmation that the considerations by some weanling exporters to pause buying weanlings at marts will go ahead or that it will be universally supported by weanling export buyers at Irish marts.