Bandon Mart was a busy spot this week, as 1,811 calves went through the ring at Monday's calf sale.
Back by about 50 on the same time last year, trade was steady throughout as demand and supply seemed to hit a sweet spot.
Speaking after the sale, mart manager Sean Dennehy was happy with how proceedings had gone.
“That was probably our best yard of calves this year and we had little to none turned away. It was a fierce strong sale of calves. There’s been a bit of settled weather and shippers were able to get calves away and they were very anxious for stock this week."
Demand was strong on the home market too, he added.
“Heavy and shapely calves are capable of doing anything and buyers are willing to go that little bit extra for them. The closer to weaning they are, the better they go.”
Most visible
In terms of numbers, it appeared like a straight shootout between Friesians and Angus as the breed most visible in the yard.
When it came to prices at the lower end, both breeds were of similar value. In the ring, shipping-type Friesian bull calves along with light Angus and Herefords under 50kg tended to be selling for between €10 and €70.
Most traditional beef breed crosses - both bulls and heifers - tended to make from €90 to €220, while heavier Angus and Herefords sold from there up to €300, with an odd few breaking past the €300 mark.
At the upper end of the trade, €350 to €420 was paid across the two breeds for calves under six weeks of age.
Continentals were, for the most part, a similar trade to the traditional beef breeds, but there was a little bit more power at the top end of the trade, with a number of Charolais-cross calves making over €400.
Top price
A top price of €490 was paid for a Charolais-cross bull calf. A share of Belgian Blues were making prices in the high-€300s too.
For the bulk of continentals, prices were similar to the middle rank of traditional beef breeds if they were from Friesian cows, although a share from crossbred dams made it into prices of over €200 on occasion.
Lighter continental crosses from dairy crossbred dams sold for under €100.
There was a special section for dairy heifer calves suitable for breeding and most of these made from €70 to €225.
These five-week-old Friesian bull calves weighed 58kg and sold for €50.
These three-week-old Hereford-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €82 to €106 weighed 76kg and sold for €270.
These five-week-old Friesian bull calves weighed 68kg and sold for €85.
These three-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €74 to €81 weighed 72kg and sold for €255.
These three-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €82 to €87 weighed 46kg and sold for €35.
This five-week-old Charolais-cross bull calf weighed 100kg and sold for €490.
This one-month-old Limousin-cross bull calf weighed 86kg and sold for €365.
These three-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calves weighed 57kg and sold for €215.
This one-month-old Angus-cross bull calf weighed 78kg and sold for €395.
These one-month-old Friesian bull calves weighed 64kg and sold for €125.
This one-month-old Hereford-cross heifer calf with a CBV of €44 weighed 51kg and sold for €50.
These one-month-old Hereford-cross heifer calves weighed 82kg and sold for €295.
These one-month-old Hereford-cross bull calves weighed 75kg and sold for €380.
This one-month-old Aubrac-cross bull calf with a CBV of €98 weighed 55kg and sold for €70.
These one-month-old Simmental-cross bull calves weighed 62kg and sold for €200.
This five-week-old Friesian bull calf with a CBV of -€14 weighed 68kg and sold for €115.
These one-month-old Angus-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €38 to €143 weighed 69kg and sold for €230.
This five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calf with a CBV of 67 weighed 45kg and sold for €30.
These three-week-old Belgian Blue-cross heifer calves with CBVS ranging from €156 to €163 weighed 53kg and sold for €265.
This three-week-old Friesian bull calf weighed 73kg and sold for €115.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bull calves weighed 65kg and sold for €230.
These two-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves weighed 47kg and sold for €60.
These two-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves weighed 45kg and sold for €30.
These six-week-old Friesian bull calves weighed 66kg and sold for €70.
This three-week-old Angus-cross bull calf with a CBV of €131 weighed 80kg and sold for €380.
These three-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €65 to €96 weighed 64kg and sold for €225.
This three-week-old Jersey-cross bull calf weighed 52kg and sold for €5.
These one-month-old Aubrac-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €145 to €230 weighed 77kg and sold for €220.
These five-week-old Friesian bull calves with CBVs ranging from €23 to -€3 weighed 62kg and sold for €60.