Prices for all the main categories of calf are back this week, according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database, which carries data from 20,661 calves this week.

Angus-crosses have got the upper hand on calf numbers and over the past week, four out of every 10 calves traded were sired by an Angus bull.

An Angus-cross bull aged from three to six weeks of age was back €21/head compared with the previous week’s trade for an average of €450/head.

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While this is roughly €50/head back on what they were making a month ago, it’s close to two and three times what they were making in 2025 and 2024 where they sold for €309/head and €146/head respectively.

The price of the same-age Angus-cross heifer was down €30/head on last week to €343.

This is considerably ahead of the same week in 2024, when they averaged €98/head, while they sold for an average of €190 for the same period last spring.

Friesians made up just over one quarter of all calves traded and after getting a bounce last week, prices for them dipped in the last seven days.

The average price for a Friesian bull calf aged from three to six weeks of age was €263, a reduction of €16/head compared with last week.

For the last week of March a year ago, they averaged €176/head, while in 2024 they were selling for an average of €52.

Hereford-crosses bumped up their market share, accounting for 19% of all calves sold.

Older bull calves maintained a strong price, averaging €488/head, back €19 on last week.

Heifer calves the same age made €374/head. For the same week in 2024, Hereford-cross bulls sold for €179/head while heifers averaged €120.

EU prices

Ireland’s main calving season is in the midst of peak supply and resulting in prices for calves here dropping off compared to other EU countries.

The EU average price for dairy-sired bull calves stands at €296/head, up €8 on the previous week. At the upper end, in Germany they increased again to €333/head with Dutch calf prices at €328/head. These are considerably above the €252/head paid out for Irish dairy-sired bull calves.