High early prices are a perennial feature of the calf trade but they have reached new levels this spring with Friesian bull calf prices double
2025 levels.
According to Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) data from calves traded in the first week of February 2026, €288/head was the average price for a three- to six-week-old Friesian bull.
This is an increase of €143/head on the corresponding week in 2025.
Younger Friesian bull calves, aged 10 to 20 days old, averaged €264/head compared to their price of €127/head 12 months ago, a lift of €137/head.
While not hitting the same percentage increases, prices for beef-sired calves are also significantly ahead of last year.
For Angus- and Hereford-cross bulls aged between three and six weeks of age, the average price paid in marts last week was €548/head and €528/head respectively.
This is an increase of €222/head and €192/head from their prices from the same week in 2025 when they traded for €326/head and €336/head.
EU prices
European prices have followed a similar trend.
For the week ending 2 February, the EU average price for dairy-sired male calves aged between eight days and one month, was €249/head while those with a beef breed sire traded for €430/head.
This is compared to prices for the same week in 2025 of €161/head for dairy-sired calves and €306/head for beef-crosses.
Increase in farmer buyers
Mart managers have noted an increase in farmer buyers at calf sales this spring. They attribute some of the increased interest in calves down to the way the market went last year, as some switched to buying calves as older stock went out of their budgets last April and May.
Kilmallock Mart manager, Shane Egan said: “What we are noticing is, there are a lot more farmers out in the last few weeks. Farmers that bought and reared late calves are now trying to buy them a month to six weeks earlier this year. They saw that the late calf doesn’t have the same thrive as the ones bought earlier in the year.”
Reporting very good overall demand, he added that exporters are beginning to get very active and starting to put loads together. It was a similar story in Dungarvan Mart where manager Kevin Casey reported an average of around €300 for Friesians at the west Waterford venue with a top price of €530 paid for a pair of six-week-old British Friesian bulls weighing 67kg.
“Since the very first sale of the year, there were plenty of farmers buyers out and ready this year. I’ve never seen it before; they don’t want to get caught out again. They can see the value in the early calf now.”
High early prices are a perennial feature of the calf trade but they have reached new levels this spring with Friesian bull calf prices double
2025 levels.
According to Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) data from calves traded in the first week of February 2026, €288/head was the average price for a three- to six-week-old Friesian bull.
This is an increase of €143/head on the corresponding week in 2025.
Younger Friesian bull calves, aged 10 to 20 days old, averaged €264/head compared to their price of €127/head 12 months ago, a lift of €137/head.
While not hitting the same percentage increases, prices for beef-sired calves are also significantly ahead of last year.
For Angus- and Hereford-cross bulls aged between three and six weeks of age, the average price paid in marts last week was €548/head and €528/head respectively.
This is an increase of €222/head and €192/head from their prices from the same week in 2025 when they traded for €326/head and €336/head.
EU prices
European prices have followed a similar trend.
For the week ending 2 February, the EU average price for dairy-sired male calves aged between eight days and one month, was €249/head while those with a beef breed sire traded for €430/head.
This is compared to prices for the same week in 2025 of €161/head for dairy-sired calves and €306/head for beef-crosses.
Increase in farmer buyers
Mart managers have noted an increase in farmer buyers at calf sales this spring. They attribute some of the increased interest in calves down to the way the market went last year, as some switched to buying calves as older stock went out of their budgets last April and May.
Kilmallock Mart manager, Shane Egan said: “What we are noticing is, there are a lot more farmers out in the last few weeks. Farmers that bought and reared late calves are now trying to buy them a month to six weeks earlier this year. They saw that the late calf doesn’t have the same thrive as the ones bought earlier in the year.”
Reporting very good overall demand, he added that exporters are beginning to get very active and starting to put loads together. It was a similar story in Dungarvan Mart where manager Kevin Casey reported an average of around €300 for Friesians at the west Waterford venue with a top price of €530 paid for a pair of six-week-old British Friesian bulls weighing 67kg.
“Since the very first sale of the year, there were plenty of farmers buyers out and ready this year. I’ve never seen it before; they don’t want to get caught out again. They can see the value in the early calf now.”
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