After slipping in recent weeks, there was a bit more pep in the step of this week's calf trade in Bandon Mart.
There were 1,790 calves on offer, up about 200 head on the last sale in April 2025 at the west Cork venue, and there was an improved trade for Angus- and Hereford-cross calves, especially those weighing from 50kg to 70kg.
A range of €250 to €550 would have been the going rate for most calves in that weight range this week.
There was less appetite for lighter calves and if they were close to 40kg, they generally made from €60 to €150, regardless of breed.
Four out of every five calves on offer were sired by a traditional beef breed bull, with Angus-crosses accounting for 54% of all calves present.
Shipper’s market
Auctioneer Denis O’Donoghue noted a little bit more bite in the trade this week.
“It’s was very much a shipper’s market early on, with a number of farmers buying later in the afternoon.
"There seems to be a bit more demand this week and you’re probably looking at Angus-cross heifers making €30 to €40/head more compared to last week.
"Angus and Hereford bulls are up a bit too, with more making over €500. That was what bulls around 60kg to 65kg were making.
"They’re more exporter-suited, as they don’t want them too heavy. You could get over €500 for that weight of calf, but trying to get €600 or over it for an 80kg calf might be harder.
"For Friesians, you’re looking at a calf around 50kg making from €200 up and those closer or over 60kg selling for €300 and over. They aren’t there in great numbers at the moment though.”
Prices for Friesians topped out at €440, which was paid on a group of 75kg bulls. Friesians made up 12% of all calves on offer, with a lower than usual number of continental-crosses available this week making up the balance of what was available.
Most of those tended to trade along similar lines to Angus- and Hereford-crosses, but there was a bit extra going for some heavier continental-cross calves.
A number of select lots of Belgian Blues weighing between 70kg and 80kg were pushing for €800 and exceeding it on occasion.
