Clare Co-Operative Marts held its weekly weanling and calf sale in Ennis on Tuesday (July 7), where 300 cattle went through the ring.

The top price per kg on the day went to a Limousin-cross weanling bull weighing 225kg who made €6.67/kg, totalling €1,500.

According to a report issued after the sale, the numbers were smaller this week, as 60 calves went through the ring with the majority of these over two-months-old.

The weanling trade was described as steady, and Ennis continues to see high prices for good quality weanlings.

Weanling bull trade

The top price for an animal went to the 400kg Blond d'Aquitaine-cross weanling bull sold for €2,100 at a rate of €5.25/kg.

Other impressive weanling bull sales included the 290kg Limousin-cross weanling bull who made €1,690 at a rate of €5.82/kg.

Another pen of two Parthenaise weanling bulls weighing 350kg each, made €2,000/head or €5.71/kg.

Below are some further sample prices from the sale:

A 270kg Angus-cross weanling bull made €1,360 or €5.03/kg;
435kg Limousin-cross weanling bull made €1,940 or €4.75/kg;
Two Charolais-cross weanling bulls weighing 370kg on average made €2,080/head or €5.62/kg.

The weanling heifer trade also saw some very competitive trade.

Notable prices included the €1,660 that was paid for a Charolais-cross weanling heifer weighing 280kg, equivalent to €5.92/kg.

A Limousin-cross weanling heifer weighing 285kg made €1,640 or €5.75/kg, while a Belgian Blue-cross weanling heifer weighing 350kg made €1,990 or 5.68/kg.

Below are some further sample prices from the weanling heifer sale:

Three Limousin-cross weanling heifers weighing 385kg on average made €1,810/head or €4.70/kg;
A 450kg Shorthorn-cross weanling heifer made €1,990 or €4.42/kg;
A 355kg Limousin-cross weanling heifer made €1,960 or €5.52/kg;
A 270kg Limousin-cross weanling heifer made €1,490 or €5.51/kg.

The calf trade in Ennis continued to see high prices. Hereford-cross bull calves saw trade prices hit €610/head while Hereford-cross heifer calves made up to €810/head.

Angus-cross bull calves saw prices up to €630/head, while Angus-cross heifer calves saw top prices of €550/head.

Continental bull and heifer calves saw very impressive prices with the top calves fetching €980/head.

These high calf prices continue a trend of inflated calf prices seen over the spring and into the early summer months.

There were also a small entry of sucklers with calves at foot making up to €3,560, while a handful of organic cattle averaged €4.60/kg.

Ennis Mart a holds weekly weanling sale every Tuesday.