Calf numbers continue to build up on dairy farms as the unusually bad weather has hampered exports to the continent.

Fourteen trucks sailed from Rosslare on Tuesday carrying some 4,400 calves, the maximum that could be rested at the approved lairages in Cherbourg. However, calves were not carried on the previous five sailings to France. Exporters estimate that these sailings would otherwise have been nearly full with calf trucks and that therefore over 15,000 calves were held back. Some of these are still on dairy farms, while others were purchased by farmer customers.

Exporters are watching weather forecasts and are hopeful that calf trucks will be able to sail on ferries on Thursday

The delays have not had a huge impact on calf prices, as this is just the start of the export season. The peak in availability for export calves is still two weeks away.

Exporters are watching weather forecasts and are hopeful that calf trucks will be able to sail on ferries on Thursday. There is more concern about Saturday’s weather.

Numbers at this week’s calf sales rose, but prices for good quality export stock were steady on the previous week.

Exporters were buying with the expectation of weather improving this week.

Calf numbers doubled in Thurles on Monday

At Bandon on Monday, most export-quality calves sold in the range of €50 to €100.

Calf numbers doubled in Thurles on Monday and prices fell by €10 per head. Friesian calves sold in the range of €20 to €125 each.

In Kilkenny on Tuesday, Friesian bulls averaged €60 each, but there was wide variation in price, with poorer-quality calves selling from €10 while those of top quality were in the range of €100 to €265 each.