Strong farmer and dealer buying ensured a lively start to the calf trade in 2022, with Friesian bulls generally selling from €60/hd to €130/hd in the past fortnight.

Although numbers on offer were small – ICBF figures show that just 18,746 calves were registered by last Friday – there was good competition for those offered for sale.

There was a lively trade for the 220 calves entered for the sale in Bandon on Monday, mart manager Sean Dennehy said.

Plain Friesian bulls sold from €60/hd to €100/hd, with stronger January calves making €100/hd to €130/hd.

There were a number of December Friesian bulls on offer. These sold from €170/hd to €210/hd.

The best of the Angus and Hereford bulls sold for €135/d to €300/hd, with the heifers making €150/hd to €335/hd.

The top price for a continental bull was €485/hd, with the bulk of the stock making between €300/hd and €400/hd.

There were just 40 calves on offer at Corrin Mart in Fermoy. However, mart manager Seán Leahy described the sale as a “positive start”.

Friesian bulls sold for €85/hd to €160/hd, with farmers and agents doing most of the buying. There was just one shipper active.

Young “handy” Angus heifers in the 40-47kg weight bracket sold for €120-160/hd. Hereford and Angus bulls made from €250/hd to €400/hd.