With dairy farmers’ focus turning towards breeding season, the number of calves offered for sale at marts continues to tail off.

For the fourth week running, calf numbers fell by 10% or more according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database.

As a result of the drop in supply, prices are holding steady or seeing slight improvements, most noticeably for Friesian bull calves.

Angus- and Hereford-sired calves continue to dominate the supply across marts, as they accounted for 81% of calves sold last week.

Despite their dominant position in the market, the increased supply is having a relatively small impact on prices, especially for Angus-cross calves, which saw average price marginally increase compared with last week as they went up €1/head to €111/head.

Hereford-crosses are faring a little better, with their average price increasing by €8/head to €126/head.

Taking a closer look at Angus-cross calf prices shows that both supply and demand is greatest for older calves.

Angus-cross bull calves aged between three and six weeks old saw their price go up by €10/head to €158/head.

There was an improvement for Angus-cross heifer calves the same age too. They went up €5/head to make €96/head.

The average weights for 32-day-old Hereford-cross calves stood at 62kg for heifers and bulls weighed in at 65kg. Prices for both were up this week, with an average of €178 for bulls - up €15/head in the week - and heifers were up €13/head for an average of €109.

Friesian bull calf numbers continue to fall off, as they accounted for 6% of calves this week.

However, prices for them have increased of late. Those aged between 21 and 42 days old were up €10/head for an average price of €72/head.

Younger Friesian bull calves aged between 10 and 20 days old were up €22/head to €83/head, but they made up a small proportion compared with their older comrades.

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