The first good week of sunshine possibly played its part as calf numbers were up by almost 100 head compared with last week at this week’s calf sale in Bandon Mart.
With 1,612 calves on offer, it put it on a similar footing to the corresponding sale last year and almost 200 ahead of 2022’s equivalent sale.
Trade could be best described as solid, not spectacular.
As has been the case since mid-March, traditional beef breeds provided the backbone of this week’s sale and prices appear to have levelled off. Most calves aged between three and six weeks sold in a range from €70 to €220.
Top prices
A few Angus calves around 90kg made over €300, but after that the next category of prices for traditional beef-breed crosses tended to be from €230 to €270.
There was a top price of €455 paid for Belgian Blues, but those high prices were like hens’ teeth this week. In or around 20 lots sold for in excess of €300.
All breeds were represented at the lower end of the trade from €70 back to €5, but very few sold for single figures this week.
Friesian bull calves were scarce and most were making anywhere from €20/head for lighter calves to up to €145 for older heavier calves.
This five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calf weighed 83kg and sold for €240.
This five-week-old Hereford-cross bull calf weighed 85kg and sold for €320.
This one-month-old Friesian bull calf weighed 76kg and sold for €120.
These one-month-old Simmental-cross bull calves weighed 75kg and sold for €240.
These six-week-old Hereford-cross bull calves with CBVs of €63 and €105 weighed 63kg and sold for €200.
These six-week-old Friesian bull calves weighed 64kg and sold for €85.
These three-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €127 to €184 weighed 52kg and sold for €105.
These one-month-old Belgian Blue-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €158 to €175 weighed 59kg and sold for €275.
These five-week-old Belgian Blue-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €114 to €155 weighed 63kg and sold for €250.
This three-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calf weighed 60kg and sold for €90.
These five-week-old Aubrac-cross bull calves with CBVS of €131 and €136 weighed 93kg and sold for €330.
These one-month-old Angus-cross heifer calves weighed 60kg and sold for €155.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bull calves weighed 79kg and sold for €260.
This one-month-old Friesian bull calf with a CBV of -€40 weighed 57kg and sold for €60.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross bull calves weighed 71kg and sold for €210.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €48 to €52 weighed 60kg and sold for €135.
This seven-week-old Angus-cross bull calf with a CBV of €190 weighed 80kg and sold for €255.
This seven-week-old Simmental-cross bull calf with a CBV of €147 weighed 80kg and sold for €325.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €62 to €128 weighed 76kg and sold for €235.
This six-week-old Hereford-cross bull calf weighed 82kg and sold for €250.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves weighed 49kg and sold for €40.
This six-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calf weighed 74kg and sold for €100.
These six-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull calves weighed 64kg and sold for €210.
These one-month-old Aubrac-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €148 to €157 weighed 58kg and sold for €75.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bull calves weighed 56kg and sold for €50.
The first good week of sunshine possibly played its part as calf numbers were up by almost 100 head compared with last week at this week’s calf sale in Bandon Mart.
With 1,612 calves on offer, it put it on a similar footing to the corresponding sale last year and almost 200 ahead of 2022’s equivalent sale.
Trade could be best described as solid, not spectacular.
As has been the case since mid-March, traditional beef breeds provided the backbone of this week’s sale and prices appear to have levelled off. Most calves aged between three and six weeks sold in a range from €70 to €220.
Top prices
A few Angus calves around 90kg made over €300, but after that the next category of prices for traditional beef-breed crosses tended to be from €230 to €270.
There was a top price of €455 paid for Belgian Blues, but those high prices were like hens’ teeth this week. In or around 20 lots sold for in excess of €300.
All breeds were represented at the lower end of the trade from €70 back to €5, but very few sold for single figures this week.
Friesian bull calves were scarce and most were making anywhere from €20/head for lighter calves to up to €145 for older heavier calves.
This five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calf weighed 83kg and sold for €240.
This five-week-old Hereford-cross bull calf weighed 85kg and sold for €320.
This one-month-old Friesian bull calf weighed 76kg and sold for €120.
These one-month-old Simmental-cross bull calves weighed 75kg and sold for €240.
These six-week-old Hereford-cross bull calves with CBVs of €63 and €105 weighed 63kg and sold for €200.
These six-week-old Friesian bull calves weighed 64kg and sold for €85.
These three-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €127 to €184 weighed 52kg and sold for €105.
These one-month-old Belgian Blue-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €158 to €175 weighed 59kg and sold for €275.
These five-week-old Belgian Blue-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €114 to €155 weighed 63kg and sold for €250.
This three-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calf weighed 60kg and sold for €90.
These five-week-old Aubrac-cross bull calves with CBVS of €131 and €136 weighed 93kg and sold for €330.
These one-month-old Angus-cross heifer calves weighed 60kg and sold for €155.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bull calves weighed 79kg and sold for €260.
This one-month-old Friesian bull calf with a CBV of -€40 weighed 57kg and sold for €60.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross bull calves weighed 71kg and sold for €210.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €48 to €52 weighed 60kg and sold for €135.
This seven-week-old Angus-cross bull calf with a CBV of €190 weighed 80kg and sold for €255.
This seven-week-old Simmental-cross bull calf with a CBV of €147 weighed 80kg and sold for €325.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bull calves with CBVs ranging from €62 to €128 weighed 76kg and sold for €235.
This six-week-old Hereford-cross bull calf weighed 82kg and sold for €250.
These five-week-old Angus-cross heifer calves weighed 49kg and sold for €40.
This six-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calf weighed 74kg and sold for €100.
These six-week-old Belgian Blue-cross bull calves weighed 64kg and sold for €210.
These one-month-old Aubrac-cross heifer calves with CBVs ranging from €148 to €157 weighed 58kg and sold for €75.
These five-week-old Angus-cross bull calves weighed 56kg and sold for €50.
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