Adam Woods
Deputy Editor and Beef Editor at Irish Farmers Journal
Deputy Editor and Beef Editor with @farmersjournal. Mad about all things beef. Suckler and sheep farming in Co. Cavan. Views expressed my own.
Articles
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2 weeks ago |
farmersjournal.ie | Adam Woods
Some of Ireland’s leading livestock exporters are going to war with each other as demand for Irish weanlings reaches record levels on the continent. Sparks flew in a number of marts this week as exporters clashed and drove the price of weanlings to record prices. Two exporters fought it out for one lot of seven 398kg Belgian Blue weanlings in Castlerea mart, last Thursday. After furious bidding, the hammer dropped at €3,370/head (€8.47/kg) or €23,590 for the lot.
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2 weeks ago |
farmersjournal.ie | Adam Woods
Clones Mart holds its weekly sale of cattle on Thursdays and last week had a mix of dry cows, bullocks, heifers, weanlings and suck calves through the ring. There were just over 100 head of cattle included. Despite negative messaging from factories over the last two weeks, store cattle continue to be a very good trade, with dry cows also holding up very well. Top call of the day went to a March 2016-born Limousin stock bull that weighed 995kg and sold for €3,360.
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2 weeks ago |
farmersjournal.ie | Adam Woods
The mart trade usually follows the factory trade. If factory quotes come back 10 c/kg, that usually means the mart trade for factory fit cattle comes back as well. The heavy cattle trade is back this week, but not to the same extent that the factory trade is back.
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2 weeks ago |
farmersjournal.ie | Adam Woods
Granard Mart had just under 100 cattle through the ring at Monday night’s weanling and suckler sale. Trade was described as brisk, with a lot of good-quality weanlings included in the sale. The good-quality weanlings was matched by a few good customers, which left the trade ahead of last week in terms of prices. Mart manager Jody Reilly said: “We’ve seen some exceptional prices paid for stock over the last few weeks, with both farmers and exporters very hungry for stock.
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2 weeks ago |
farmersjournal.ie | Adam Woods
Farmers buying cattle to graze for the summer months have had to pay close to €600/head more this spring compared to 2024 prices, according to analysis of the Irish Farmers Journal Martbids database for March, April and May 2025. Buying 40 bullocks for grass meant a farmer needed an extra €24,000 in their pocket to fund cattle purchases this spring.
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One of the best farm walks I have been on in a long time and a massive vote of confidence for the suckler cow and top quality cattle. @IrishGrassland @farmersjournal https://t.co/ll6N4TYPoJ
Nervous and happy is how Tim describes his feelings about the cattle trade at the moment. “For 30 years suckler farmers didn’t get rewarded for producing quality stock and it’s great to see prices where they are but weanling prices are worrying for my system” @farmersjournal https://t.co/NaJitUv2cK
We’re in Tipperary this evening for the @IrishGrassland beef farm walk on Tim Meagher’s farm just outside Roscrea. 112 Ha beef farm store to beef enterprise finishing close to 300 animals a year. @farmersjournal @FJBeef https://t.co/PViXfsuhIh
