There were 1,410 calves through the ring in Bandon Mart on Monday.
Comparing with previous end-of-February sales, numbers are up by 200 on the corresponding sale in 2021 and slightly more on a per-week basis, as there were 350 calves at the evening sale last Wednesday.
There appears to be little fluctuation on most calf prices between this and last week, albeit there is a higher floor on prices, especially for Friesian bull calves.
Across the board, buyers were willing to pay well for calves that had that extra bit of feeding.
Friesian bulls
There was a great trade for Friesian bull calves, with most export-type calves selling from €45 up to €85.
Farmer demand for the stronger Friesian bull calf saw prices for those exceeding €100, with up to €150 available for those calves under six weeks of age. Older Friesian bull calves broke the €200 mark on the odd occasion.
The top end of the Jersey or Friesian-cross-bred bull calf broke into the lower end of export-type calf prices the odd time. The majority of them made it to double figures and most of these crosses sold from €50 back to €1.
Traditional breeds
The solidity of the Friesian bull calf price may be the headline, but their price variation was far tighter compared with traditional breeds.
With many of the January-born Angus and Hereford-crosses having passed through the ring earlier this year, there was a slight dip in the price bracket most of these calves sold in.
Across both bulls and heifers, €150 to €260 would have purchased a good proportion of these, while the stronger calves were making up to €330.
Dam
The availability of the dam breed on the board combined with the weighing of calves is putting more pressure on beef-cross calves with Jersey breeding on the cow side.
Challenges around finishing some of these stock to carcase weight specs is now beginning to filter back down the line.
This was more evident in Angus-crosses, especially when buyers were slower to bid on these, resulting in prices from €2 up to €100 for those with JE, JEX and FRX showing on the dam side.
The numbers involved were a small percentage of what was on offer, but there is little to no appetite in the marketplace for these calves, especially if they are under 50kg at three to four weeks old.
Continentals
Continental calves were scarce, but prices were largely along the lines of the higher end of Angus and Hereford prices, with an odd few exceeding €400. Those with Jersey breeding on the cow side were making from €50 to €180.
This group of one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 69kg and sold for €120 each.
This group of one-month-old heifer calves had an average weight of 71kg and sold for €270 each.
A bunch of five-week-old Belgian Blue bulls that had an average weight of 71kg made €320 each.
Just over three weeks old, this Angus bull calf from a Jersey cow weighed 40kg and sold for €10.
Weighing 75kg, this six-week-old heifer calf sold for €275.
Almost six weeks of age, this group of bull calves had an average weight of 54kg and made €60 apiece.
This trio of five-week-old bull calves had an average weight of 65kg and sold for €80 each.
These one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 74kg and sold for €110 each.
This group of one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 50kg and made €180 each.
These three-week-old bull calves averaged 66kg and sold for €265.
This pair of five-week-old Charolais heifer had an average weight of 83kg and made €370 apiece.
This trio of one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 64kg and sold for €95 each.
Born on December 8th 2021, this pair of bull calves averaged 104kgs and made €180 each.
These 5 week old, Friesian cross bred calves weighed 52kgs and made €5 each.
This pair of six-week-old Belgian blue heifers weighed 74kg each and made €295 apiece.
Almost three weeks, this trio of bull calves from Jersey cross cows averaged 48kgs and made €50 each.
Just over three weeks old, these bull calves had an average weight of 51kg and made €70 each.
At five weeks old, these bull calves had an average weight of 33kg sold for €95 each.
This one-month-old Limousin heifer calf weighing 67kg made €210.
These one-month-old bull calves averaged 64kg and sold for €240 each.
There were 1,410 calves through the ring in Bandon Mart on Monday.
Comparing with previous end-of-February sales, numbers are up by 200 on the corresponding sale in 2021 and slightly more on a per-week basis, as there were 350 calves at the evening sale last Wednesday.
There appears to be little fluctuation on most calf prices between this and last week, albeit there is a higher floor on prices, especially for Friesian bull calves.
Across the board, buyers were willing to pay well for calves that had that extra bit of feeding.
Friesian bulls
There was a great trade for Friesian bull calves, with most export-type calves selling from €45 up to €85.
Farmer demand for the stronger Friesian bull calf saw prices for those exceeding €100, with up to €150 available for those calves under six weeks of age. Older Friesian bull calves broke the €200 mark on the odd occasion.
The top end of the Jersey or Friesian-cross-bred bull calf broke into the lower end of export-type calf prices the odd time. The majority of them made it to double figures and most of these crosses sold from €50 back to €1.
Traditional breeds
The solidity of the Friesian bull calf price may be the headline, but their price variation was far tighter compared with traditional breeds.
With many of the January-born Angus and Hereford-crosses having passed through the ring earlier this year, there was a slight dip in the price bracket most of these calves sold in.
Across both bulls and heifers, €150 to €260 would have purchased a good proportion of these, while the stronger calves were making up to €330.
Dam
The availability of the dam breed on the board combined with the weighing of calves is putting more pressure on beef-cross calves with Jersey breeding on the cow side.
Challenges around finishing some of these stock to carcase weight specs is now beginning to filter back down the line.
This was more evident in Angus-crosses, especially when buyers were slower to bid on these, resulting in prices from €2 up to €100 for those with JE, JEX and FRX showing on the dam side.
The numbers involved were a small percentage of what was on offer, but there is little to no appetite in the marketplace for these calves, especially if they are under 50kg at three to four weeks old.
Continentals
Continental calves were scarce, but prices were largely along the lines of the higher end of Angus and Hereford prices, with an odd few exceeding €400. Those with Jersey breeding on the cow side were making from €50 to €180.
This group of one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 69kg and sold for €120 each.
This group of one-month-old heifer calves had an average weight of 71kg and sold for €270 each.
A bunch of five-week-old Belgian Blue bulls that had an average weight of 71kg made €320 each.
Just over three weeks old, this Angus bull calf from a Jersey cow weighed 40kg and sold for €10.
Weighing 75kg, this six-week-old heifer calf sold for €275.
Almost six weeks of age, this group of bull calves had an average weight of 54kg and made €60 apiece.
This trio of five-week-old bull calves had an average weight of 65kg and sold for €80 each.
These one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 74kg and sold for €110 each.
This group of one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 50kg and made €180 each.
These three-week-old bull calves averaged 66kg and sold for €265.
This pair of five-week-old Charolais heifer had an average weight of 83kg and made €370 apiece.
This trio of one-month-old bull calves had an average weight of 64kg and sold for €95 each.
Born on December 8th 2021, this pair of bull calves averaged 104kgs and made €180 each.
These 5 week old, Friesian cross bred calves weighed 52kgs and made €5 each.
This pair of six-week-old Belgian blue heifers weighed 74kg each and made €295 apiece.
Almost three weeks, this trio of bull calves from Jersey cross cows averaged 48kgs and made €50 each.
Just over three weeks old, these bull calves had an average weight of 51kg and made €70 each.
At five weeks old, these bull calves had an average weight of 33kg sold for €95 each.
This one-month-old Limousin heifer calf weighing 67kg made €210.
These one-month-old bull calves averaged 64kg and sold for €240 each.
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