Clare Marts, Ennis, Co. Clare, hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Tuesday, June 23, with just over 250 cattle on offer in the sale.

According to the sale report from the mart venue, there was a smaller number of cattle on offer at the most recent sale, "mainly due to farmers taking advantage of fine spell of weather to complete fieldwork".

The numbers of calves on offer in the sale is starting to tail off at the mart venue in line with the seasonal drop-off in calf births from the dairy herd over the summer months.

There were 60 calves on offer in the sale, with prices paid for Hereford-sired bull calves reaching €710 and Hereford-sired heifer calves reaching €600.

Angus bull calves made as high as €750 in the sale and Angus heifer calves made up to €560 on the day.

There were a small number of Friesian bull calves on offer in the sale and these made from €240-€350/head.

Weanling bulls and heifers

The demand for weanling bulls and heifers in the sale is holding firm, according to mart management, with no change in the weanling trade on the previous week.

Weanling bull prices reached €6.23/kg for a 255kg Limousin bull that made €1,590.

Another lighter 240kg Limousin bull weanling made €1,440 or €6.00/kg.

Weanling bull prices from the sale at Ennis Mart:

Four Limousin bulls with an average weight of 372kg sold for €2,100/head or €5.63/kg;
Two Limousin bulls with an average weight of 340kg sold for €1,980/head or €5.82/kg;
Two Charolais bulls with an average weight of 402kg sold for €2,020/head or €5.01/kg;
425kg Charolais weanling bull sold for €2,100 or €4.94/kg;
280kg Shorthorn weanling bull sold for €1,060 or €3.78/kg;
410kg Limousin bull sold for €2,250 or €5.48/kg.

There were also a small selection of suckler cows with calves at foot, with these making up to €3,560.

Weanling heifers in the sale reached €5.71/kg for a 245kg Limousin heifer that totalled €1,400.

Weanling heifer prices from the sale at Ennis Mart:

320kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,680 or €5.25/kg;
355kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,860 or €5.23/kg;
340kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,700 or €5.00/kg;
415kg Hereford heifer sold for €1,500 or €3.61/kg;
275kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,430 or €5.20/kg.

The highest price per head for weanling heifers was €2,390 paid for a heavier-type 450kg Limousin heifer that made €2,390 or €5.31/kg.