It was another busy Monday in Bandon Mart where for the fifth Monday in a row, there was over 2,000 calves on offer.
With 2,074 calves on offer, numbers were back about 380 head on last week and it was 70 calves lower than the last sale in March 2025.
The breed make-up of this week’s sale was reflective of current trends, with Angus-crosses coming close to making up half of calves that were available at the west Cork venue.
While €600 was exceeded for them at the upper end, this was largely confined to calves in excess of 80kg and close to weaning.
At close to 300 head, Hereford-crosses weren’t as plentiful as their traditional beef breed counterparts, but traded along similar lines.
Trickier trade
Reflecting on the sale, auctioneer Denis O’Donoghue said: “It’s a bit trickier this week, especially for the beef calves.
"Those 50kg to 55kg Angus bulls were making about €250 to €400. For the ones weighing 60kg to 75kg, they were selling from €400 into €640 and Angus heifers were back on this.
"A lot of farmers are probably full at this stage and don’t seem to be as anxious for calves as they were a month ago and there's a few less customers as a result.
"By comparison, prices for Friesian bulls were fine. There’s not as many about, so price is holding.”
The supply of Friesian bulls fell under 30% for the first time this spring and prices for them seem to be holding, with most heavier calves making from €280 to €360. A share sold for over this range too.
Most of the lighter calves, those between 50kg and 55kg sold for between €180 and €260. Friesian-crosses made similar money to the lighter calves.
However, some Friesian-cross bulls below the aforementioned weight range made from €80 to €120, with some selling below this range.
A little over one in every 10 calves were sired by a continental breed bull. Heavier calves close to weaning made up to €950, while those weighing from 50kg to 70kg traded for the same money as traditional beef breed crosses.
This five-week-old Hereford-cross bull weighed 58kg and sold for €350.
This seven-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull with a CBV of €269 weighed 106kg and sold for €950.
This one-month-old Friesian bull with a CBV of €64 weighed 52kg and sold for €200.
This five-week-old Shorthorn-cross bull with a CBV of €138 weighed 59kg and sold for €310.
This six-week-old Friesian bull with a CBV of -€2 weighed 71kg and sold for €310.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €43 to €129 weighed 58kg and sold for €385.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €43 to €104 weighed 57kg and sold for €325.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifers weighed 71kg and sold for €450.
These one-month-old Hereford-cross bulls weighed 65kg and sold for €495.
This six-week-old Angus-cross bull with a CBV of €170 weighed 72kg and sold for €525.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs of €60 and €124 weighed 64kg and sold for €520.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €112 to €181 weighed 76kg and sold for €625.
These six-week-old Friesian bulls with CBVs of -€13 and €43 weighed 68kg and sold for €315.
This seven-week-old Hereford-cross heifer with a CBV of €108 sold for €385.
This seven-week-old Hereford-cross bull with a CBV of €169 weighed 85kg and sold for €660.
This eight-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull with a CBV of €239 weighed 74kg and sold for €640.
These seven-week-old Friesian bulls with CBVs from -€2 to €97 weighed 75kg and sold for €345.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bulls weighed 61kg and sold for €425.
This three-week-old Angus-cross heifer weighed 50kg and sold for €300.
This one-month-old Friesian bull weighed 52kg and sold for €220.
These three-week-old Angus-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €87 to €168 weighed 53kg and sold for €255.
These five-week-old Shorthorn-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €95 to €197 weighed 56kg and sold for €270.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifers weighed 58kg and sold for €250.
These five-week-old Shorthorn-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €131 to €200 weighed 62kg and sold for €355.
This one-month-old Friesian-cross bull weighed 64kg and sold for €250.
These one-month-old Hereford-cross bulls weighed 58kg and sold for €365.
It was another busy Monday in Bandon Mart where for the fifth Monday in a row, there was over 2,000 calves on offer.
With 2,074 calves on offer, numbers were back about 380 head on last week and it was 70 calves lower than the last sale in March 2025.
The breed make-up of this week’s sale was reflective of current trends, with Angus-crosses coming close to making up half of calves that were available at the west Cork venue.
While €600 was exceeded for them at the upper end, this was largely confined to calves in excess of 80kg and close to weaning.
At close to 300 head, Hereford-crosses weren’t as plentiful as their traditional beef breed counterparts, but traded along similar lines.
Trickier trade
Reflecting on the sale, auctioneer Denis O’Donoghue said: “It’s a bit trickier this week, especially for the beef calves.
"Those 50kg to 55kg Angus bulls were making about €250 to €400. For the ones weighing 60kg to 75kg, they were selling from €400 into €640 and Angus heifers were back on this.
"A lot of farmers are probably full at this stage and don’t seem to be as anxious for calves as they were a month ago and there's a few less customers as a result.
"By comparison, prices for Friesian bulls were fine. There’s not as many about, so price is holding.”
The supply of Friesian bulls fell under 30% for the first time this spring and prices for them seem to be holding, with most heavier calves making from €280 to €360. A share sold for over this range too.
Most of the lighter calves, those between 50kg and 55kg sold for between €180 and €260. Friesian-crosses made similar money to the lighter calves.
However, some Friesian-cross bulls below the aforementioned weight range made from €80 to €120, with some selling below this range.
A little over one in every 10 calves were sired by a continental breed bull. Heavier calves close to weaning made up to €950, while those weighing from 50kg to 70kg traded for the same money as traditional beef breed crosses.
This five-week-old Hereford-cross bull weighed 58kg and sold for €350.
This seven-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull with a CBV of €269 weighed 106kg and sold for €950.
This one-month-old Friesian bull with a CBV of €64 weighed 52kg and sold for €200.
This five-week-old Shorthorn-cross bull with a CBV of €138 weighed 59kg and sold for €310.
This six-week-old Friesian bull with a CBV of -€2 weighed 71kg and sold for €310.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €43 to €129 weighed 58kg and sold for €385.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €43 to €104 weighed 57kg and sold for €325.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifers weighed 71kg and sold for €450.
These one-month-old Hereford-cross bulls weighed 65kg and sold for €495.
This six-week-old Angus-cross bull with a CBV of €170 weighed 72kg and sold for €525.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs of €60 and €124 weighed 64kg and sold for €520.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €112 to €181 weighed 76kg and sold for €625.
These six-week-old Friesian bulls with CBVs of -€13 and €43 weighed 68kg and sold for €315.
This seven-week-old Hereford-cross heifer with a CBV of €108 sold for €385.
This seven-week-old Hereford-cross bull with a CBV of €169 weighed 85kg and sold for €660.
This eight-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull with a CBV of €239 weighed 74kg and sold for €640.
These seven-week-old Friesian bulls with CBVs from -€2 to €97 weighed 75kg and sold for €345.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bulls weighed 61kg and sold for €425.
This three-week-old Angus-cross heifer weighed 50kg and sold for €300.
This one-month-old Friesian bull weighed 52kg and sold for €220.
These three-week-old Angus-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €87 to €168 weighed 53kg and sold for €255.
These five-week-old Shorthorn-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €95 to €197 weighed 56kg and sold for €270.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifers weighed 58kg and sold for €250.
These five-week-old Shorthorn-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €131 to €200 weighed 62kg and sold for €355.
This one-month-old Friesian-cross bull weighed 64kg and sold for €250.
These one-month-old Hereford-cross bulls weighed 58kg and sold for €365.
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