Carnew Mart held it’s weekly calf sale on Friday, April 21 with over 700 calves on offer at the Garden County mart.
Describe as a large entry for the time of by Eugene Clune from the Co. Wicklow based mart, with a strong trade seen throughout the sale.
A strong presence of farmers purchasing calves was noted by Clune, with the recent improvement in weather likely having a role to play in this.
Due to less than ideal weather and high cost the trend with calf buyers has been to purchase older more reared calves.
With many marts reporting that the lighter, younger calves have been a harder sell and this trend appeared to continue at Carnew on Friday.
Calf sale
Speaking to Agriland, about the trade at Wicklow marts sale on Friday, Clune said that the coloured continental calves were met with a very strong trade.
With a three week old Belgian Blue bull topping the trade at €450.
According to Clune the main positive currently from the trade is that the Angus and Hereford cross calves are selling well.
With the stronger more reared Angus and Hereford calves regularly selling for €200/head, according to Clune.
The lighter younger calves are still harder sold but very little passed through the ring making less than €100.
Carnew
Moving to the Friesian bulls that were on offer at last Fridays sale, these calves were very scarce on the day.
But the well reared square calves that were on offer sold to a top price of €180, while the lighter shipping calves sold to a top call of €90.
Summing up the trade, Clune said: “Calf numbers are bigger later in the year and the trade has definitely improved since the weather has picked up.
“The recent sales have seen many farmers and shippers, being very active buying calves.”