Farmers bringing calves to six marts in Munster will have to pay a €5/head charge if their calves are not sold on sale day, the Irish Farmers Journal can reveal.

Aimed at deterring any farmer from abandoning unwanted calves at marts, the rule will apply at Cork Marts premises in Bandon, Cahir, Corrin, Dungarvan, Macroom and Skibbereen.

“Any calves that go through the ring and are ‘unsold’ will have to be collected by the seller or their agent at the end of the sale,” Cork Marts told customers this week.

It also warned that it will not accept calves at the intake point if they are deemed by staff to be too weak for presentation for sale.

Cork Marts has the largest throughput of dairy calves, trading almost 90,000 per year.