The number of calves exported live to the week ending 15 April has reached 84,254 head, an increase of 14,465 calves compared with the same period in 2017. The strong trade so far this year leaves calf exports in a strong position to easily break last year’s volume of 102,628.

Exports have been running significantly ahead of 2017 levels for the last three weeks, as reflected in Figure 1, and if this trend were to continue, exports could climb as high as 120,000 to 130,000 head for the 2018 calendar year.

Export destinations are unchanged, but there has been fluctuation from week to week and this remains the case for the most recent consignments exported in the week ending 15 April.

Exports to the Netherlands continue on a downward trend and, at 2,159 calves, it is a reduction of 459 head on the previous week. Exports to the Netherlands for the year to date, at 32,889 head, are also running slightly behind (1,943 head) last year’s levels.

Live exports to Spain, on the other hand, recovered after a dip the previous week, rising from 2,855 to 3,535. This brings total exports to Spain to 31,424, a lift of 6,813 head. Belgium also continues to record a significant jump on 2017 levels, with the most recent consignments of 919 head bringing the total volume to 10,509, twice last year’s figure of 5,287 for the same period.

France is the other main mover and, at 5,141 calves (779 in latest week), is running 3,484 above 2017 levels, while Italy (874 for week ending 15 April and 3,704 for the year) and Northern Ireland (586 year to date) are similar to 2017 levels.

Calf prices have been boosted in recent weeks by a reduction in throughput and steady farmer and live exporter appetite.

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