Demand for heavier calves and runners was clearly evident in Bandon Mart this week, as buyers seek stock for grass.
There were close to 1,050 calves on offer at the west Cork venue, putting it at a similar level to this time last year.
As has been the case all spring, the prices are way ahead of what has previously been seen. Shippers and calf buyers were extremely active, with the number of farmer buyers easing somewhat.
Traditional beef breed-sired calves kept their dominance in the lairage, as they accounted for three quarters of all calves present, with Angus-crosses making up over half.
Prices for both breeds continued along similar lines to recent weeks with a premium going for heavier calves.
Angus- and Hereford-crosses from Friesian dams weighing between 60kg and 70kg were commanding prices of between €450 to €600 in most instances but more was going for select lots. Heavier calves were a different level.
Standout prices
A sample of standout prices for Angus-crosses saw bulls weighing 78kg making €700, while another group of 96kg bulls sold for €785.
The top end of trade for Hereford-crosses wasn’t far behind with a group of 79kg bulls making €725 and a 103kg bull made €790.
For Friesians, there was solid demand for both bulls and heifers. Most bull calves sold for between €320 and €400, with those prices paid for calves weighing from 53kg to 65kg.
Heavier calves made more with €460 to €620 paid for those close to 90kg up to 130kg. Friesian heifers were generally trading for between €260 to €565. One pen of close to 20 Friesian heifers offered in four bunches averaged €540.
Continentals were scarce this week. A few heavy runners were closing in on €1,000, with €880 paid for a 130kg Charolais-cross bull and another Charolais-cross bull born at the end of December sold for €980.
A pen of seven Belgian Blue-crosses, all weighing around 90kg, that were sold individually averaged €730.
These three-week-old Angus-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €51 to €75 weighed 60kg and sold for €430.
These seven-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €79 to €98 weighed 100kg and sold for €755.
These 10-week-old Hereford-cross heifers weighed 83kg and sold for €520.
These three-week-old Hereford-cross heifers weighed 56kg and sold for €375.
This nine-week-old Speckle Park-cross heifer with a CBV of €22 weighed 63kg and sold for €390.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €51 to €102 weighed 63kg and sold for €495.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross heifers with CBVs of €64 and €109 weighed 61kg and sold for €340.
These six-week-old Friesian bulls weighed 92kg and sold for €490.
This nine-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calf with a CBV of €69 weighed 76kg and sold for €435.
This 14-week-old Hereford-cross heifer with a CBV of €54 weighed 96kg and sold for €685.
This five-week-old Angus-cross bull calf with a CBV of €72 weighed 57kg and sold for €300.
These six-week-old Hereford-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €51 to €80 weighed 72kg and sold for €650.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €83 to €96 weighed 85kg and sold for €650.
This six-week-old Friesian bull with a CBV of -€5 weighed 56kg and sold for €210.
This six-week-old Angus-cross heifer calf with a CBV of €79 weighed 61kg and sold for €240.
This nine-week-old Limousin-cross bull weighed €78kg and sold for €540.
This three-week-old Limousin-cross bull weighed 56kg and sold for €360.
This nine-week-old Limousin-cross heifer weighed 79kg and sold for €490.
This five-week-old Hereford-cross bull with a CBV of €93 weighed 62kg and sold for €390.
This nine-week-old Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 92kg and sold for €770.
Demand for heavier calves and runners was clearly evident in Bandon Mart this week, as buyers seek stock for grass.
There were close to 1,050 calves on offer at the west Cork venue, putting it at a similar level to this time last year.
As has been the case all spring, the prices are way ahead of what has previously been seen. Shippers and calf buyers were extremely active, with the number of farmer buyers easing somewhat.
Traditional beef breed-sired calves kept their dominance in the lairage, as they accounted for three quarters of all calves present, with Angus-crosses making up over half.
Prices for both breeds continued along similar lines to recent weeks with a premium going for heavier calves.
Angus- and Hereford-crosses from Friesian dams weighing between 60kg and 70kg were commanding prices of between €450 to €600 in most instances but more was going for select lots. Heavier calves were a different level.
Standout prices
A sample of standout prices for Angus-crosses saw bulls weighing 78kg making €700, while another group of 96kg bulls sold for €785.
The top end of trade for Hereford-crosses wasn’t far behind with a group of 79kg bulls making €725 and a 103kg bull made €790.
For Friesians, there was solid demand for both bulls and heifers. Most bull calves sold for between €320 and €400, with those prices paid for calves weighing from 53kg to 65kg.
Heavier calves made more with €460 to €620 paid for those close to 90kg up to 130kg. Friesian heifers were generally trading for between €260 to €565. One pen of close to 20 Friesian heifers offered in four bunches averaged €540.
Continentals were scarce this week. A few heavy runners were closing in on €1,000, with €880 paid for a 130kg Charolais-cross bull and another Charolais-cross bull born at the end of December sold for €980.
A pen of seven Belgian Blue-crosses, all weighing around 90kg, that were sold individually averaged €730.
These three-week-old Angus-cross heifers with CBVs ranging from €51 to €75 weighed 60kg and sold for €430.
These seven-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €79 to €98 weighed 100kg and sold for €755.
These 10-week-old Hereford-cross heifers weighed 83kg and sold for €520.
These three-week-old Hereford-cross heifers weighed 56kg and sold for €375.
This nine-week-old Speckle Park-cross heifer with a CBV of €22 weighed 63kg and sold for €390.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €51 to €102 weighed 63kg and sold for €495.
These five-week-old Hereford-cross heifers with CBVs of €64 and €109 weighed 61kg and sold for €340.
These six-week-old Friesian bulls weighed 92kg and sold for €490.
This nine-week-old Hereford-cross heifer calf with a CBV of €69 weighed 76kg and sold for €435.
This 14-week-old Hereford-cross heifer with a CBV of €54 weighed 96kg and sold for €685.
This five-week-old Angus-cross bull calf with a CBV of €72 weighed 57kg and sold for €300.
These six-week-old Hereford-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €51 to €80 weighed 72kg and sold for €650.
These six-week-old Angus-cross bulls with CBVs ranging from €83 to €96 weighed 85kg and sold for €650.
This six-week-old Friesian bull with a CBV of -€5 weighed 56kg and sold for €210.
This six-week-old Angus-cross heifer calf with a CBV of €79 weighed 61kg and sold for €240.
This nine-week-old Limousin-cross bull weighed €78kg and sold for €540.
This three-week-old Limousin-cross bull weighed 56kg and sold for €360.
This nine-week-old Limousin-cross heifer weighed 79kg and sold for €490.
This five-week-old Hereford-cross bull with a CBV of €93 weighed 62kg and sold for €390.
This nine-week-old Belgian Blue-cross heifer weighed 92kg and sold for €770.
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