This pair of month-old heifer calves made €180 each in Bandon on Monday.
Traditionally-bred calves made up over 70% of all calves traded on the ICBF calf price database this week. This saw the price of these types fall by an average of €14/head on the previous seven days.
Three-week-old Angus bulls and heifers averaged €202/head and €167/head, while Hereford bulls and heifers the same age made €171/head and €201/head on average.
Reports from marts around the country suggest there is a price reward for farmers selling that older calf, with month-old to six-week-old Angus and Hereford calves making from €220/head to €250/head.
This group of Angus heifers, the oldest a month old, sold for €225.
The perennial rise in numbers of beef calves appeared to come a bit earlier this spring and it’s now hitting the point where they are really dominating the numbers.
Perhaps that’s a result of dairy expansion easing up and as less replacement heifers are required, dairy farmers are switching to beef AI straws sooner.
Whatever the reason, the lift in numbers was apparent in the calf pens in Bandon Mart on Monday.
At least two-thirds of the 1,200 calves on offer appeared to be Angus or Hereford.
SHARING OPTIONS:
There was in the region of 1,400 calves on offer in Bandon this week, with prices tightening up a fraction. Solid but unspectacular would be the best way to describe the trade. Well over 80% of what was on offer this week was purchased in the €70 to €270 range.
Throughout March there was wide variation on prices within the breed categories. The earlier January and February calves, especially beef cross ones, are much sought after by calf rearing specialists, creating extra competition for calves that suit their individual systems.
Friesians
The peak of Friesian bull calf numbers has well and truly passed, with noticeably fewer around the pens. Those available are, on average, older calves than earlier in the season. The price range for those were tighter than earlier in the spring, with €70 to €150 the going rate.
This one-month-old Angus heifer sold for €190 in Bandon on Monday.
The steady rise in numbers of beef-sired calves continues, with prices starting to ease slightly this week.
However, having strengthened slightly last week, early-maturing type beef calves are just back to where they were a fortnight ago.
This sees Angus bulls and heifers average €207/head and €176/head – down €9 and €11 on the week respectively.
Hereford bulls and heifers averaged €226/head and €194/head, back €17 and €6 on the previous seven days.
The number of Friesian bull calves in the market place is beginning to dip, back by almost 30% on the week.
Strong demand
These three-week-old bull calves averaged €75/head in Bandon on Monday.
Trade for Friesian bull calves has been quite turbulent over the last seven days. The second half of last week saw little activity from export buyers, as disruption to boats reduced demand for this type of calf.
This saw the average price back €7/head on the week to €53/head. However, much of this is coming from the second half of last week. This is also reflected in the fact that there were 15% fewer Friesian bull calves traded compared with the previous week, as more farmers held on to calves during the disruption.