Sale entries have been curtailed in recent weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic. There are now signs of a seasonal decline starting to kick in, with some marts that had steady numbers in recent weeks reporting an easing in throughput.

Some mart managers predict that numbers will not fall as fast as in other years and think they may settle over the next two weeks before possibly being boosted by the planned reopening of marts, with buyers permitted entry to bid on 8 June.

The trade is holding solid. Continental-bred store bullocks born in spring and summer 2019 and weighing kg 380kg to 480kg are trading from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg for average-quality lots and from €2.20/kg to €2.35/kg on average for top-quality lots.

Lighter cattle born in the second half of 2019 and weighing 300kg to 380kg are running 5c/kg to 10c/kg above these prices, with live exporters also active for bulls and helping to insert a solid level of competition into the market.

Quality is having a major influence on prices paid for Friesian bullocks. Good O=/+ grading types weighing 450kg to 550kg are trading from €1.45/kg to €1.60/kg and to a top of €1.70/kg for select lots. Plainer-quality types with poor weight for age are falling back to €1.30/kg to €1.35/kg.

Angus and Hereford store bullocks and heifers continue to sell in a price range of €1.85/kg to €1.95/kg for O grading lots, with some better-quality lots fetching over €2/kg.

The cow trade remains solid, with factory agents driving the trade. Good-quality R grading cows are selling on average from €1.65/kg to €1.85/kg, with better-quality U grading types and young cows pushing prices in cases to €1.90/kg to €2.00/kg.

Fleshed Friesian cows are selling from €1.20/kg to €1.40/kg for fleshed cows weighing in excess of 550kg, with feeding cows and poor-quality under-fleshed types selling from €1/kg to €1.10/kg upwards.

Live exporters and farmers continue to keep a good floor under the calf trade. Friesian calves are selling in a wide price bracket. Strong calves that are nearly reared are trading from €120 to €200. Medium-quality and younger calves range in price from €70 to €110, with light calves back to €30 to €40. There is a small number selling below this range.

Angus- and Hereford-cross calves are selling from €70 to €140 for lighter types, with stronger calves to €200 to €220 and up to €250 to €280 for the best-quality calves. Continental-cross calves range in price from €250 to €350 for calves with no crossbreeding.