Enniscorthy Mart held its weekly calf sale on Wednesday (March 29) with 580 calves on offer at the Model County mart.

The disruption to calf exports has had an impact on the trade for shipping-type calves, while the stronger-type calves remain a good trade.

Commenting on the trade, Fionn Sherlock from the Co. Wexford-based mart said that there was a lot of customers present looking for “good continental calves”.

Enniscorthy Mart

Starting with Friesian bull calves, the shipping-type calves were tipped as being a harder trade, while the more farmer-type calf remained a good trade.

The shipping-type calves made from €5 up to €35, while the more farmer-type calves sold from €50 to a top call of €175.

This four-week-old Friesian bull sold for €95
Image: Enniscorthy Mart

Continental

The Continental calves on offer sold from €170 for a Limousin-cross bull calf up to a top price of €400 for a month-old Limousin bull calf.

Some sample Continental prices:

  • A three-week-old Belgian blue-cross heifer sold for €305;
  • A four-week-old Belgian blue-cross bull sold for €360;
  • A three-week-old Limousin-cross bull sold for €280;
  • A five-week-old Aubrac-cross bull sold for €350.

Angus and Hereford

The Angus and Hereford-cross calves on offer at Wednesday’s sale sold anywhere from €165 for lighter-type calves up to €310 for a month-old Hereford-cross bull.

Some sample Hereford and Angus prices:

  • A four-week-old Hereford-cross bull made €260;
  • A four-week-old Hereford-cross bull made €280;
  • A three-week-old Angus-cross bull made €220;
  • A three-week-old Hereford-cross bull made €210.

Giving an overview of the trade at the sale, Sherlock said: “Overall, a smaller sale with more farmers active for good Continental calves.”