The latest live export statistics available show live exports of calves slowly starting to build. There were 594 calves exported to Spain in the week ending 11 February 2018.

Weekly exports up to this period ranged at a low level of 100 to 200 head, with a total of 712 exported. This brings the year-to-date total for calves exported to Spain to 1,306, marginally ahead of the same period in 2017 when 1,275 calves were exported live.

The latest weekly statistics also recorded the first exports to the Netherlands in 2018, with 379 calves exported. This is also on a par with 2017, with exports commencing on the equivalent week and recorded at 379 head. Exports to other destinations have yet to kick off, with only nine calves exported to Northern Ireland.

Exporters have been very active in marts and this is likely to be reflected when the figures for last week are released. Looking at last year’s trends, the number of calves exported jumped quickly from over 1,000 head to just shy of 4,000 head, with subsequent increases over two weeks bringing exports to a peak of 10,000. It is early days to judge, but it looks like Spain is poised to repeat its strong performance in 2018. The Netherlands has traditionally been the main market for calves and accounted for exports of 41,374 in 2017, but it was marginally bettered by Spain, which imported 43,958 calves. The two markets combined imported 85,332 head from a total of 101,258 calves exported.

Prices are reported as steady. Lighter but good-quality Dutch-type calves are selling from €70 to €120/head, with slightly higher prices primarily being paid for better-quality export-type bulls suitable for the Spanish market.

Farmer demand is mostly for the stronger calves from €130 to €150/hd, with prices of up to €170/hd being paid for top-quality four-week-old Friesian bulls. This week is also the first week that calves will be transported on Stena’s replacement vessel, with the Stena Horizon removed for upgrading works.

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