Beef-cross calves made up slightly over 70% of the calvers on offer on Monday night at Portumna Livestock Mart’s first calf sale of the year.

Around 70 calves went through the ring at the Galway venue and trade got off to a very good start for calves sired by beef bulls.

Demand was strongest for continental calves, both bulls and heifers, that weighed over 60kg.

These generally sold for between €275 and €380. That top price went to a five-week-old Limousin-cross heifer calf that weighed 80kg.

A few exceptional continental calves under 60kg broke into that price bracket too, such was demand.

Roughly one third of what was on offer were traditional beef-crosses.

Such was demand that even lighter Angus and Hereford calves over 40kg tended to sell from €190 up to a top price of €270.

Less than 30% of the trade was made up of dairy bull calves.

The few Friesians sold for between €60 and €70 and up to €200 was paid here for a very strong 60kg Friesian bull calf.

Friesian- or Jersey-crosses made from €15 back to €1 and bids were a struggle for some of them, but all sold.

Beef increase

With calving well under way on most farms around the country, mart manager Marie Younge believes we’re likely to see an increase in beef calf numbers earlier in the year.

Speaking after the sale, she said: “Comparing with how the same sale went last year, trade was definitely up, but there were a lot less Friesian bulls around this year and much more continentals.

“There are definitely more beef calves coming out earlier than before.

“More farmers are using sexed semen and that’s starting to show.

“This is our first sale of 2024 and it’s a week later than last year.

“It’s always difficult to judge trade for the year at the start, but we had a very good trade, especially for the beef-cross calf.

“There was a good bit of farmer demand, especially for continentals. They made great prices for young calves.

“Exporters haven’t really started yet, so it was mainly farmers driving demand it.

“I think calves will get more plentiful every week. There was a lot of farmers testing the water this week, so sales will climb from now.

“We’ll probably peak in a few weeks’ time. Last year it was around early March when we had over 750 calves at one sale so it will be getting busier,” said Marie.

Beginning on 23 February, Portumna Mart will host seasonal dairy sales.

Check with the mart for further details.

In pictures