The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database has seen calf numbers double at sales over the past seven days. While it’s early days in the 2025 calf market, prices are a world away from last year.

Some buyers might continue to call for opening bids on calves at 2024 prices, only to be usurped by bids double what they are willing to offer. Beef prices have changed utterly since last spring and that is being seen in calf sales at marts now.

Numbers are starting to increase and where prices go to from here on will be interesting. Given where the trade is now, it’s worth throwing an eye back on last year just to see how much it has evolved since.

Friesian bull numbers have increased significantly on last week. They accounted for 43% of calves traded over the last week and they experienced the greatest percentage price increase of all breeds. In mid-February 2024, the average price for younger Friesian bull calves between 10 days and 20 days was €51/head. Last week saw an average price of €120/head paid for them.

There was weight data recorded for 40% of these calves and it gave an average weight of 49kg/head.

Older Friesian bulls between 21 and 42 days were up €12/head on last week to €157/head an increase of €85/head on this time last year.

Weight data was available on around half of these and they averaged 60kg/head. Traditional beef breed crosses have also gotten a good bounce on last year and as ever they were among the top prices in the first few sales with farmer demand for early calves a driver of trade. Angus calves were the most numerous of the beef breeds on offer and they accounted for one third of calves traded last week.

Older Angus-cross bull calves between 21 and 42 days sold for an average of €303/head up €57/head on last year’s price. Angus-cross heifers of that age are up €68/head on this time last spring, to an average of €267/head. Younger Angus-cross bull calves have seen the highest increase over the last 12 months. They traded for €263/head last week compared to €182/head in 2024. Angus-cross heifer calves from 10 to 20 days sold for an average price of €216, up €65/head on last year.

Hereford calves made up 11% of calves traded and they also saw increases albeit smaller ones than other breeds.

Older Hereford-cross bull calves were up €12/head to €334/head while heifers the same age averaged €263/head a lift of €52/head compared to 2024.

Bull calves from 10 to 20 days had an average price of €300/head and heifers made €224/head, increases of €37/head and €44/head respectively.