Carrigallen Mart in Co. Leitrim has said that it is rolling out two new guidelines for sellers of livestock in its weekly sales.

The new guidelines relate to animals being in the mart in a timely manner before their lot comes up for sale; and ensuring sellers are available after the sale to confirm the selling price.

Both changes come into effect from September 1.

Mart manager Helen Kells said the new guideline are aimed at improving and streamlining the mart's sales.

She said that the changes are not "written in stone", and are being implemented to improve the experience for livestock buyers.

The new changes will require all livestock to be penned in the mart for sale in their lot slot; otherwise they will go to the end of their category.

The first 60 lots will need to be in the mart by 10:00a.m for Saturday morning sales, and by 5:00p.m for Monday evening sales.

The purpose of this change it to accommodate the online buyers catalogue, and to avoid having to rescan sheep.

The second change will require sellers, who are not in the sellers box to sell their livestock, to contact the mart within 20 minutes of the animal being sold if they are not satisfied with the price.

If sellers are not in the box or do not contact the mart within 20 minutes, it will be taken that the animal is sold.

However, Helen Kells said the mart will continue to follow up with a phone call to the seller after the sale.

She explained that this change is being brought in to avoid situations where sellers can't be contacted for long periods of time, leaving buyers waiting on after a sale.

Marts

Statistics reported in Agriland this week have shed light on the number of farmers versus cattle dealers buying and selling cattle in Irish marts.

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.