Every other year, as far back as most can remember, by now the calf trade would have cooled off a touch. This year, it seems to have actually got hotter as the year progressed for a later-born calf. Whether it is a slow realisation among livestock farmers of the continued rising beef price, smaller numbers for sale, credit limits reached, or the need to get into stock at smaller money or a combination of all – either way, it’s the reality. Put a €500/hd calf-rearing cost for year one on top of the purchase price and all of a sudden you are closer to €1,000/hd next autumn, even before you put a value on your own time and land. Every farm business selling stock over the coming months will need to reassess taxable revenues and we all know the best time to do that is six months before it actually happens. Good advice to get 2024 accounts out of the way now rather than leave it to the autumn, so that you can plan forward around 2025.