Angus- and Hereford-crosses made up the most of what was on offer at the calf sale in Templemore Mart for their weekly calf sale on Thursday last. For those from Friesian dams, prices generally ranged from €260 to €400.

Prices didn’t stop there for either of the traditional beef breed crosses with Angus-crosses making up to €500 and Hereford-crosses a small bit behind with a top of €475.

Lighter calves or those from herds with Jersey genetics tended to sell from €135 to €220.

Freisians were thin on the ground this week but sold well, while continental-crosses mostly sold from €320 to €480.

Commenting on the huge changes seen in the calf trade since last year, mart manager, Joe Bergin said: “It’s mad. A year ago, calves could have averaged €100 after a sale and you’d nearly be begging people to take some of them.

This year is totally different. There are farmers who gave calves away last year and now they’re getting over €200 for their calves.

When calf prices started off good early this year and held up, it encouraged farmers to feed them on a bit more too and that’s making an awful difference. You now have a situation where even shippers are paying up to €500.

What we have seen this spring is there are much fewer Friesian bull calves around. There were very few here this week and a pair of them made €350. A lot more farmers are just using sexed semen on their heifers and letting an Angus or Hereford bull off with the cows and we’re seeing the results of that in the ring this spring.”

He has noticed a contrast in the mood of farmers compared to this time in 2024 too. The good spring combined with a high beef price has done a lot to lift spirits.

“They’re all happy now between beef and milk prices and the good weather. Dairy farmers are doing very well getting around €300 for their beef-cross calves and anywhere from €1,800 to €2,200 going for most well-fleshed cull cows.

“We hadn’t a small sale since January and we would have always had smaller sales then but this year, it’s different. Beef prices are good and it’s drawing cattle out.

“Cattle and calves are both going well but trying to buy back cattle to restock is difficult. The farmers who sold cattle last October and did well, now need to give more to replace what they had, as prices have moved on so much.

“If that happens again and they don’t break even in the autumn you’d wonder, would they stick at it especially given how strong land rental prices are in the area now.”