Bull calves sired by traditional beef breed bulls are still running ahead of last year’s prices, according to data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database.

Angus- and Hereford-crosses accounted for 80% of all calves again this week, with prices for Angus-cross bulls up €5/head to €446/head, some €12 ahead of 12 months ago.

Hereford-cross bulls have managed to maintain a wide gap between their prices of this and last year.

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This week, they sold for an average of €486/head. That’s back €1 on last week, but it is the closest all spring they’ve been to dipping down to last year’s prices, with a difference of €41 between now and then.

Heifers of both breeds fell below last year’s prices a number of weeks ago and while they improved a little since, they are still skirting along similar prices to a year ago.

Angus-cross heifers traded for €310/head last week. That’s an improvement of €6 and €18 behind the same week in 2025, while it’s €196 above what they sold for two years ago.

Hereford-cross heifers fell by €5/head and traded for €344/head. That’s €5 above last year and €219/head over 2024’s price.

Similar to Angus- and Hereford-cross bulls, prices for Friesian bulls have remained above 2025 levels all spring and continue to do so.

Their volume has shrunk in recent weeks and they now account for 7% of all calves traded over the past week.

As a result of their fall in supply, their average price has edged up by €8/head this week and they traded for an average price of €285. This is €15/head of the same time last year and €198 above 2024 prices.

Combined, continental-crosses made up 12% of last week’s calf supply in marts, with Belgian Blue-and Limousin-cross calves each contributing 4% of the total number.

Belgian Blue-cross bulls were up €11/head to €561/head, while heifers of the breed made €22/head extra this week, as they sold for an average of €510/head.

Limousin-cross bulls averaged €532/head, a reduction of €18/head over the last week, while heifers of the breed were down €48/head on the previous week, as they sold for an average price of €379/head.