Calf sales to markets outside the State have improved through April but remain just over 19,000 head below 2025 levels for the same period of time.

To date 125,754 head have been purchased by buyers primarily in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Croatia and Northern Ireland and although they are behind last year’s record levels, they are over 4,000 above this time in 2024.

The Dutch market remains in pole position and accounts for 56,584 head putting it almost 750 head above this time last year.

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Spain has picked up of late but remains 8,000 head behind the end of April last year.

Of the other main trading outlets for Irish calves, Italy and Croatia are running ahead of last year, with buyers in both countries purchasing 14,794 head and 5,561 head respectively.

Earlier restrictions on bluetongue means the calf trade to Northern Ireland is running 1,000 head behind last year, with 4,603 head going across the border to date.

A year ago, Poland accounted for over 18,000 Irish calves but to date Polish buyers have only purchased 169 calves as restrictions around bluetongue severely impacted trade between the two countries to date.

While it is only a small number, those calves went to Poland in the last fortnight as offer a glimmer of hope that the market could improve yet.

Prices for both have turned in a positive direction over the last fortnight for Angus- and Hereford-cross calves as bulls of the breeds traded for €441/head and €486/head respectively. This is an increase of €15/head for Angus-cross bulls with Hereford-crosses up €25/head. These increases mean they have returned to similar levels to what they were in the second half of March. Heifer calf prices of both breeds are also up with prices for them close to or over this time last year according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database.