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25 January 2017

Peter McCann on 25 Jan 2017

Strong demand for calves at Kilrea Mart

Calves continued to meet a lively trade at the weekly sale in Kilrea Mart, Co Derry, last Thursday.

Peter McCann

25 January 2017

The Simmental calf on the left sold for £165 (€191) and the Limousin on the right went for £275 (€319). Both are bulls and were around three weeks old.

This four-week-old Hereford bull made £250 (€290).

This Limousin bull calf was approximately eight weeks old and made £325 (€377).

This Friesian bull calf was three weeks old and made £47 (€55).

This nine-week-old Belgian Blue bull calf sold for £320 (€371).

This Aberdeen Angus heifer was born on 4 January and sold for £125 (€145).

These two Simmental bred heifer calves were around three weeks old and made £220 (€255) each.

The hammer dropped at £220 (€255) for this 12-week-old Aberdeen Angus heifer.

This strong Limousin bull calf sold for £300 (€348).

This Aberdeen Angus heifer calf made £285 (€331) and was 14 weeks old.

This strong Belgian Blue heifer was around 14 weeks old and sold for £292 (€339).

Selling for £180 (€209) was this four-week-old Aberdeen Angus heifer calf.

This 10-week-old Limousin heifer calf made £155 (€180).

This Friesian bull calf was eight weeks old and made £100 (€116).

This Belgian Blue bull calf was eight weeks old and made £260 (€302).

There was a strong demand for most types of calves on offer at Kilrea Mart, Co Derry, last Thursday. A mix of breeds were on show with Friesian, Limousin and Angus-registered calves making up the biggest proportion of the 254 lots on offer.Strong, well-conditioned calves that appear to have been well reared to date continued to meet the strongest demand from bidders around the ring.

Strong, well-conditioned calves that appear to have been well reared to date continued to meet the strongest demand from bidders around the ring.

Friesian bull calves sold well on the day, with the strongest calves on offer selling from £150 to £175. The run of Friesian bulls made from £60 to £100 and lesser types, or younger calves aged two or three weeks old, sold for around £50 or less.

Limousin bull calves sold for up to £365, with most selling for between £250 and £300. Limousin heifers made less, selling to a top price of £238, with the run of heifers going for around £200.

Other continental bred bulls sold well with the strongest selling for over £300 and heifers making slightly less. Belgian Blue heifers, for example, went for £260 to £290 and well-reared bulls pushed over £320.

The trade for Angus and Hereford calves was helped by their eligibility for bonus schemes run by local factories. A mixed show of Angus bulls meant prices ranged from £150 to over £300 but the run of Angus heifers sold for £170 to £180.

There was a very good trade for the small number of Hereford bull calves that passed through the sales ring, with the top selling for £365 and other best sellers going for £348, £335 twice and £250.

Buyers for calves were both farmers, who take the calves on to beef, and agents, who are buying calves (particularly Friesian bulls) for export or else for calving-rearing schemes or to sell on to farmers.

Focus: calves 2017

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What's on in the marts in the coming week