Calf exports fell last week, with exporters experiencing slow orders and lower prices from veal farms in Holland.

The drop in demand was due to disruption across the EU caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Exporters say numbers this week could again be affected. The total exported last week was 8,539 head, down from 13,556 the week before and 14,779 in the same week of last year.

A month ago they were getting €5/kg carcase weight for white veal, now the price has fallen to €4.60/kg

According to Bord Bia, the problems in Holland include loss of veal export sales to the key markets of Italy, France and Germany, where restaurants and other food service outlets are closed. Dutch veal farms are taking lower prices for their finished cattle.

“A month ago they were getting €5/kg carcase weight for white veal, now the price has fallen to €4.60/kg,” Bord Bia meat and livestock manager Joe Burke said.

Some Dutch veal farms are having difficulty getting finished stock slaughtered, meaning they are not in a position to buy in and restock.

“The Dutch reported that reference price for Holstein-Friesian bull calves, based on published mart prices, fell by €20 per head for last week to €55 to €65 per head,” Burke said.

The quality and health of Irish calves going to Spain has been good this year

“Good Irish calves get better prices than this. But between transport and levies, it costs Irish exporters up to €45 per head to send calves to Holland.”

He is more upbeat about the Spanish market: “The quality and health of Irish calves going to Spain has been good this year, probably because they have been kept longer on farms. There is good feedback. Importers there are still buying. However, prices have been hampered by uncertainty among Spanish finishers.”

Meanwhile, closure of marts here last week was an inconvenience to exporters but did not restrict export numbers. Instead, it meant exporters were, in the words of one, “burning diesel driving around to get twos and threes”.