Camera at the Mart: farmer buyers dominate Portumna calf sale

Portumna Mart had its second calf sale of 2026 on Monday evening last and farmer buyers were out in force to mop up the majority of the 81 calves on offer.

Angus- and Hereford-crosses made up half of the calves on offer and heavier calves closer to weaning weight sold for up to €595. Those weighing over 55kg generally sold from €395 to €480, with a few exceeding that significantly.

Lighter traditional beef breed-crosses under 50kg sold for less than €350. Those closer to 40kg sold for similar money as Friesian calves.

Beef calves were on the radar of farmer buyers and up to €650 was paid for continental-crosses.

From there, back to €400 was the going rate for beef-cross calves regardless of breed.

Heavier Friesians

Up to €300 was available for heavier Friesian bulls weighing over 50kg, with a top of €445 paid for a Friesian bull close to weaning weight.

Lighter, young Friesian bulls sold but were making close to or €200 if they weighed between 40kg and 45kg, while Friesian-cross bulls below this weight range were generally making between €90 and €150.

‘Decent sale’

Following the sale, manager Ciaran Clancy said: “It was decent enough sale. Friesian bulls were back a bit but it’s still very early in the year.

“Every calf that was anyway strong at all needed €500 to buy it and that was what those weighing 60kg to 70kg were coming into.

“We’re seeing prices for the younger lighter calves are staying low, so it would be better if farmers could hold on to the calvers for at least a month.

Jump in price

“Those two weeks, there’s a big jump in the price. It’s easily worth €100 to €150 extra on what they’d make if they’re around two weeks old.”

He was confident of the trade for the spring especially with how prospects are for exports.

“The way I see it at the minute with the way exports going, I think we’ll see prices hold fairly steady.

“Maybe as numbers go up, we’ll see them ease a small bit, but for the early part of spring they will remain strong.”

“There doesn’t seem to be as much concern around exports with bluetongue, but I’d be more concerned around the new transport regulations that are being proposed.

“If that comes in instead of a triple deck of calves, it will be a double decker and that could put pressure on, but that’s a wider European issue.”