An increasing number of beef cross calves are selling for prices more associated with the lower end of the Friesian bull calf trade, according to a number of mart managers.

“You could nearly call them shipping calves now too,” said David Quinn of Carnew Mart.

“There’s lots of farmers to buy a good calf regardless of breed. It’s more challenging for the younger lighter calf. There’s just no demand for them.”

In Bandon on Monday, three calves from a sale of 1,811 went unsold. A further 71 sold for under €10/head.

Manager Seán Dennehy said that 10 were heifer calves and of those, seven were Angus.

“There’s no demand for lighter calves.”

In Cahir Mart on Friday evening, about 10 out of 1,396 calves went unsold.

Mart manager Jonathan O’Sullivan said that about 30 were sent home at the intake.

“I could have 1,450 calves if I let them in but I’d have nearly 50 unsold. The reality is, if they are pure Jersey or very light then they have no business in the mart.”

Weather

He reported calves as being much easier to sell compared to 10 days ago, but cautioned that it could change in a split second due to weather.

After a turbulent fortnight, prices for Friesian shipping calves stabilised, according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf price database.

Friesian bulls between three and six weeks were up €2/head to €46, while prices for Friesian bull calves under three weeks remained unchanged at €37/head.