This week’s sale in Kilkenny had 72 calves forward with prices rising up to €535. Some of these calves were born earlier in the season and fetched high prices across the board.

Topping the trade was a February-born Simmental cross heifer which sold for €535. A further four heifer calves similarly bred made between €440 and €530.

Younger Hereford cross heifers sold up to €295, while the Angus females topped at €245, again for calves between one and two months of age.

Heifer calves

Overall heifer calf prices averaged at €260 for the 24 sold. The top third of these sold for an impressive average of just under €400.

Double the number of bull calves were present with average sale price of €230. The majority of these calves were six weeks and under, with a few exceptions.

This pair of May-born Charolais bull calves sold for €470 each.

Better-quality older lots helped to boost the average to €360/head for the top 33% of male lots sold. On the other end, the bottom third of lots wold for just over €100 each.

Top of the males was a Simmental cross calf born the end of February which sold for €520. Not far behind a Charolais-cross calf born the end of March sold for €505.

This late March-born Simmental cross heifer secured a price of €535.

Selling for €470 was a pair of two-month-old Charolais cross bull calves. Well-made Angus bull calves sold as high as €385, while the smaller number of Hereford bull calves went up to €330.

This January-born Simmental cross heifer sold for €480.

This late March-born Charolais cross bull calf sold for €505.

This Angus bull calf born 15 June sold for €285.

This shapely June-born Angus bull calf sold for €285.