Live exports of calves are slowly starting to get going, with the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine showing 1,197 calves exported for the week ending 12 February 2017.

Spain was the main destination, accounting for 814 calves, with 307 exported live to the Netherlands and 75 to Italy.

The exports to Italy have been occurring in recent weeks and together with 289 weanlings, 66 animals between 12 and 21 months of age and one older animal make up exports of 431 head transported to Italy.

Exports to Northern Ireland were also slightly higher than previous weeks at 454 head.

This can be split into 368 (147 male and 221 female) cattle over 21 months, 50 between 12 and 21 months, 35 weanlings and one animal aged under three months.

Other exports of note were 64 cattle to Greece (mainly weanlings) and 56 heifers to Romania (mixture of ages).

Exports are predicted to continue to rise in line with a sharp jump in calf throughput in marts.

Calf prices have eased €10 to €15/head in recent days, but farmer demand is still driving the trade.

Good Friesian bulls are selling from €120 to €180/head, with shipping types from €60 to €110. Crossbred, weak calves and Jersey bulls are selling from €5 to €45.

Steady trade

Back to the beef trade and there is no real change over the last few days.

Steers continue to trade at a base of €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg, while heifers are trading in the main on a base of €3.90/kg. Some plants are trying to quote 5c/kg lower, but by and large most in-spec heifers are trading at the higher base.

Bull prices are becoming more variable, with sellers handling lower numbers reported being offered €3.75/kg for R grades and €3.85/kg for U grades.

Regular sellers are securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher. Friesian bulls are more sluggish than previous weeks.

Good-quality O=/+ grading bulls are selling from €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg, while lesser-quality O- grading animals with a lower cover of flesh are selling from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg where traded in smaller numbers in particular.

Firm cow trade

The cow trade is also firm, both in marts, where feeding and slaughter-fit cows remain a great trade, and factories. P+3 grading cows are selling from €2.90/kg to €3.05/kg.

A wide differential also exists for O grades, which are selling from €3.10/kg all the way to €3.25/kg at the higher end of the market. R grades are selling in general from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, with U grades to €3.45/kg and €3.50/kg in cow specialist plants.

NI trade

The northern trade is also solid. U-3 base quotes remain at £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg (€4.21/kg to €4.27/kg). Regular sellers continue to extract 4p/kg to 6p/kg more, with the challenge still to exceed £3.50/kg to £3.52/kg. Throughput is reported as steady, with supply balanced with demand at present.

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