Heifer prices improved across almost all the main breeds over the last week.

Data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) shows that with the exception of Simmental-cross heifers, prices for beef breed-sired heifer calves are all up on the previous weeks.

Reports from marts have said that there was a notable lift in demand for heifer calves over the last week.

ADVERTISEMENT

Over the last month, a wide gap emerged between the prices of bull and heifer calves, following strong demand for bulls from shippers. They remain extremely active for calves and have bought well over half of all calves on offer at the moment.

Commenting on last week’s sale, Ciara Ryan, Thurles Mart manager, said: “Almost three-quarters of all calves went to them this week, but it’s only in the last three weeks or so that trade has been like that. It was very much 50:50 between them and farmers prior to that.”

Angus-cross heifer calves were up €6/head to €316/head over the last week, while Hereford-cross heifer prices increased by €9/head to €353/head.

While these are up on recent weeks, they are marginally down on 2025. Prices for bull calves of both breeds are just about managing to hold above those that were paid for them in May of last year.

Hereford-cross bulls were back €16/head to €469/head this week, but remain €7/head over what they made a year ago. This is the closest they have been to dipping below last year’s prices all spring. There is a similar tale for Angus-cross bull calves who are €8/head over May 2025 prices. They were up €4/head this week for an average price of €450/head.

Traditional beef breeds continue to make up four out of every five calves on offer in marts across the country with calves sired by Angus bulls accounting for 55% of all calves traded over the last week.

Continental-cross bull calves remain above last years prices also but in comparison to Angus- and Hereford-crosses their numbers are much lower. To date, Belgian Blue-, Charolais, Limousin- and Simmental-crosses combined account for 15% of all calves traded this spring.