Calf prices eased somewhat over the past week, according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database.

Friesian bulls made up three out of every 10 calves traded and prices for them were back compared with the week before.

With issues surrounding ferry capacity and while the prices eased, they were still well ahead of 2024 levels.

Prices for older Friesian bull calves aged three to six weeks of age were back €32/head last week, but remain a respectable €152/head. Half of these calves had weight data, which resulted in an average of 56kg.

Friesian bull calves aged 10 to 20 days old averaged 53kg and saw their price fall by €12/head to €142.

Traditional beef breed-crosses made up 53% of calves sold in marts over the last week, with Angus-crosses accounting for over one third of the total calves.

Much of the farmer demand that drove early beef calf prices is easing off and this resulted in younger bull calves being back €25/head to €242/head and older calves from three to six weeks slipping €27/head to €279/head.

Angus-cross heifers didn’t escape the drop and prices for them were back too, albeit at a lower level than bull calves.

Older Angus-cross heifer calves were back €16/head to €219/head, while Angus heifers from 10 to 20 days of age traded for an average of €178/head, a fall of €15/head on last week’s price.

The fortunes of younger Hereford-cross calves fared better, with bulls increasing by €15/head to €292/head and heifers selling for an average of €226/head, up €10/head compared with last week.

Hereford-crosses from three to six weeks of age were back marginally, with bulls making €10/head less than last week. They averaged €327/head, while older heifers were only back €4/head to €249/head.

Belgian Blue-crosses were the most numerous of the continental-crosses, but the slip in prices affected them too. Older bulls and heifers were both back €27/head for average prices of €356/head and €306/head respectively.