With calving well under way on many farms, the numbers are starting to rise at the ringside, with around 1,000 on offer in Bandon Mart this week.

The number of export-type Friesian bull calves continues to emerge and prices are remaining stable for them, with €40 to €85/head seeing most of them bought.

Mart manager Tom McCarthy was happy with trade: "There was a small backlog in numbers due to a few less sailings last week, but there's good activity for the shipping calf and farmers continue to compete for the stronger Friesian bull calf."

Farmer demand for British Friesian bull calves stayed along similar lines to last week, with a top-end price of €195.

Beef breeds

Angus and Hereford calves are holding their own, although there are more of these coming out that are closer to three weeks of age compared with earlier sales where most were over one month.

This is resulting in a higher proportion of them across both sexes selling for between €200 and €300.

Prices for traditional beef-cross bull calves from Friesian herds ranged from €180/head up to €360/head, with heifers following a similar pattern.

There was a small offering of continental-cross calves and prices for both bulls and heifers ranged from €300 to €475.

Jersey-cross calves

There was a small number of Jersey-cross bull calves and these sold for under €40.

In some instances, there was one or two included in a group of Friesians and while it may help raise the price of that calf, it is pulling down the average per head price of the group by €20 or more.

Buyers are well able to spot the speckled legs at this stage and the bidding is always slower and lower when they come into the ring.

The Jersey influence can be seen in the beef-cross calves too.

As a rough guide, Angus or Hereford crossed calves from Jersey-cross herds tend to attract prices to the stronger Friesian bull calf and continental crosses from those herds sell for similar money to the traditional beef breeds crossed on a Friesian herd.

In pictures

This group of one-month-old bull calves averaged €45.

This group of Hereford heifer calves averaged €230.

Just over two weeks old, this pair of bull calves made €195 each.

Coming up on a month of age, this pair of bull calves sold for €285 each.

At 24 days, this continental heifer sold for €395.

This one-month-old Angus bull sold for €230.

Coming up on one month of age, this Angus bull made €300.

At 25 days, these Angus heifers sold for €255.

Approaching three weeks of age, this pair of bull calves made €280.

These one-month-old bull calves averaged €85.

Approaching three weeks, this group of Friesian heifer calves averaged €225.

This pair of one-month-old bull calves made €145 each.

Just turned three weeks, this Hereford bull calf made €245.

This 24-day-old Angus bull calf made €240.

Almost a month old, these bull calves made €75 each.

Just over three weeks, this group of bull calves averaged €115.

This three-week-old Belgian Blue heifer made €325.

Almost six weeks old, these bull calves averaged €125.

Seven weeks of age, this Limousin bull calf made €345.

Just over three weeks, this trio of bull calves averaged €390.

This one-month-old Hereford bull calf made €325.