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1 day ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
After a few weeks of ascending, it appears the hand brake has been pulled on calf prices. Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price data from marts for the past week has shown prices for the main breeds on offer ease somewhat compared to the week before. For the most part, the differences are marginal and an increase in supply may have played its part in keeping trade relatively balanced.
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1 day ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
Angus- and Hereford-crosses made up the most of what was on offer at the calf sale in Templemore Mart for their weekly calf sale on Thursday last. For those from Friesian dams, prices generally ranged from €260 to €400. Prices didn’t stop there for either of the traditional beef breed crosses with Angus-crosses making up to €500 and Hereford-crosses a small bit behind with a top of €475. Lighter calves or those from herds with Jersey genetics tended to sell from €135 to €220.
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3 days ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
A top price of €1,005 in Bandon Marts calf sale this week caught the eye and given the current trends in calf prices and supply slipping off, a four-figure sum looked like it was going to be paid out at some point. The fact that threshold was passed by a Friesian may come as a surprise, but less so when it was paid out on a pedigree heifer calf from the Firmount herd.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
Calf exports from the state are up 20% on the same time last year, according to figures from Bord Bia. Building on a strong first quarter where they were 14% ahead of the same time last year, good demand, mostly from the continent, has seen the trade power ahead and in the first few weeks of April. The Netherlands has wrested back the top spot from Spain as the main destination for Irish calves over the last fortnight.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
There doesn’t appear to be any let-up in calf prices over the past week, according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price table. Across the three breeds that account for the majority of calves on offer in marts, the average prices have all risen since last week. The lowest increase was experienced by younger Hereford-cross bulls, which were up €17/head for an average price of €329, while older Angus-cross bulls went up by €46/head to €373 over the last seven days.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
There has been no let up in calf prices with each of the main breeds experiencing double digit price rises over the last week. According to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price table, the average price of Angus- and Hereford-cross bulls aged between three and six weeks increased by €46/head and €29/head since last week, averaging €373/head and €391/head respectively.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
This week’s calf sale in Leinster Co-op’s mart in Carlow on Monday last saw a full clearance of the close to 400 calves on offer. Beef crosses made up the most of what was on offer and between them, Angus- and Hereford-crosses made up 65% of the total number of calves. The going rate for most of those traditional beef breed crosses tended to be from €260 to €490 for most younger calves under six weeks of age. Calves that bit closer to weaning or weaned were making from €540 to €720.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
There were just short of 1,200 cattle on offer in Kanturk Mart on Tuesday last for the north Cork mart’s weekly sale and there’s been no let-up in trade across all classes of stock. Forward cattle sold well, with most Friesian dry cows sold from €1,200 to €2,000, with a top price of €2,350 paid for a 740kg Friesian cow (€3.18/kg). Sucklers made up a small proportion of the cow sale, but topped out the prices, with fleshy continental cows making up to €2,360.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
The morning sun in the east and clear blue skies show west Cork in its best light. There are great views from the youngstock yard as it’s about 200m from the highest point in the area which my grandfather referred to as “the tower”. The Napoleonic-era structure officially known as Galley Head signal tower was built as an early warning system in the early 1800s and from its vantage point it has commanding views of the southern coastline.
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1 week ago | 
farmersjournal.ie | Tommy Moyles
Beef calves made up the vast majority of the just over 1,900 head on offer in Bandon Mart for this week’s calf sale in the west Cork venue. That’s a lift of almost 400 calves on the same time in 2024. Of that number, over 1,000 were Angus-crosses and demand remained extremely strong for them and their traditional beef breed cohorts, Hereford-crosses. Prices were running along similar lines to last week’s sale, with those weighing close to 55kg or above making from €280 to €380.
