Enniscorthy Mart held its weekly calf sale on Wednesday (March 20), with 863 calves on offer at the model county-based mart.
Despite the big sale, the trade is holding very well for all quality calves.
There are plenty of farmers and agents looking for those well-fed calves, according Fionn Sherlock, assistant manager and auctioneer at Enniscorthy Mart.
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Sherlock said that Angus and Hereford cross calves are making up the biggest proportion of the sale.
He also said that exporters are active ringside but the demand isn’t as strong due to a build up of calves waiting for export.
Beef calves
Starting with the trade for Angus and Hereford cross calves at Enniscorthy Mart at Wednesday’s sale, Sherlock said that they sold anywhere from €50 for lighter type calves up to €320 for a four-week-old Angus cross bull.
Some of the sample Hereford and Angus prices:
- A four-week-old Angus cross bull sold for €320;
- A four-week-old Angus cross bull sold for €310;
- A five-week-old Hereford cross bull sold for €290;
- A five-week-old Hereford cross bull sold for €285;
- Two, three-week-old Hereford cross heifers sold for €155 each.
Moving to the Continental calves, they sold from €150 for a Limousin cross heifer calf up to a top price of €415 for a six-week-old Belgian Blue cross bull calf.
According to Sherlock, there are some very strong customers for those continental calves – many of which are local farmers and agents from surrounding counties.
Some of the sample for Continental calves:
- A six-week-old Belgian Blue cross bull made €415;
- A five-week-old Belgian Blue cross bull made €370;
- Two, four-week-old Belgian Blue cross bulls made €360 each;
- A four-week-old Belgian Blue bull made €340;
- A five-week-old Limousin cross bull made €320;
- A six-week-old Charolais cross heifer made €310.
Enniscorthy Mart
Sherlock told Agriland that Friesian bull calves are a tough trade in general particularly for the light and small framed animals.
The stronger Friesian bulls sold anywhere from €45 up to €100 on the day while those plainer Friesians made from €5 up to €30, all of which were bought for export.
Some sample Friesian prices:
- Two, four-week-old Friesian bulls sold for €95 each;
- A four-week-old Friesian bull sold for €85;
- A three-week-old Friesian bull sold for €55;
- Six, three-week-old Friesian bulls sold for €20 each;
- Four, three-week-old Friesian bulls sold for €10 each;
- Five, two-week-old Friesian bulls sold for €5 each.
There was a very small proportion which didn’t receive a bid and had to return home, according to Sherlock.
Commenting on the trade Sherlock said: “There is a very good trade for all the coloured calves, but light or plain Friesians are a tough sell.”