Calf exports increased last week, giving a lift to prices at some mart sales.

The total exported was 13,556, according to Department of Agriculture figures, up by close to 3,000 on the previous week.

With marts now closed, exporters are focusing all buying directly from farms.

Regular suppliers

Most of the major exporters already have regular farmer suppliers and agents to buy for them so the loss of mart sales is unlikely to reduce export numbers. However, farmers will have less clarity on prices. Extra lairage capacity at Cherbourg and more settled weather mean exports this March will match or exceed those of recent years.

Last week, 7,336 calves went to the Netherlands, 3,884 to Spain, 873 to Belgium, 604 to Italy, 354 to Poland, 277 to France and 228 to Northern Ireland.

Despite the coronavirus disruption, veal farms in the Netherlands are keen to buy Irish Friesian bull calves.

In addition, over 700 bigger cattle went to a variety of markets on the continent last week. Exporters have praised the Department of Agriculture for helping facilitate delivery of Irish livestock to EU markets in the face of severe coronavirus restrictions.