Clare Co-operative Marts in Ennis, Co. Clare hosted its weekly weanling sale on Tuesday, September 1.

With over 400 head of cattle on offer in the sale, mart manager Martin McNamara said it was a reasonable-sized sale considering the weanling show and sale took place at the mart venue last week.

He mentioned there was a nice selection of in-calf suckler stock in the sale, saying: "These met a fine trade - especially for stock near calving".

The top price in this section was €5,300, and the mart manager said that several of these in-calf entries were trading at prices north of €3,000.

Weanling trade

McNamara said that the lighter-type runner bulls and weanlings up to 300kg "held a good trade".

These lighter-type weanling bulls sold at an average price of €5.45/kg in the sale.

Weanling bull prices from the sale at Ennis Mart:

A 290kg Limousin bull sold for €1,820 or €6.27/kg;
A 370kg Charolais bull sold for €2,180 or €5.89/kg;
A 250kg Charolais bull sold for €1,800 or €7.20/kg;
A 345kg Charolais bull sold for €2,180 or €6.32/kg;
A 335kg Limousin bull sold for €1,970 or €5.88/kg;
Two 402kg Charolais bulls sold for €2,100 or €5.22/kg;
Four 371kg Limousin bulls sold for €1,800 or €4.84/kg;
Two 432kg Hereford bulls sold for €1,640 or €3.79/kg;
Two 372kg Charolais bulls sold for €1,880 or €5.05/kg;
A 435kg Limousin bull sold for €2,080 or €4.78/kg.

While the trade for the lighter bulls remained firm in the sale, the bulls over 350kgs "were easier by 10-15c/kg," according to the mart manager.

Heifer weanlings were back in price by approximately 5c/kg on the previous week, but over €5.90/kg was paid for lighter-type weanling heifers.

Weanling heifer prices from the sale at Ennis Mart:

A 430kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €2,270 or €5.28/kg;
A 345kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,820 or €5.27/kg;
A 295kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,650 or €5.59/kg;
Three 267kg Charolais heifers sold for €1,580 or €5.92/kg;
A 320kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,680 or €5.25/kg;
Two 395kg Hereford heifers sold for €1,620 or €4.10/kg;
A 385kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,840 or €4.77/kg;
A 300kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,550 or €5.16/kg;
Four 404kg Charolais heifers sold for €1,960 or €4.85/kg;
A 400kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,900 or €4.75/kg.

The mart also had "a good entry" of organic stock, which "met great demand, with plenty of customers for these," according to the mart manager.