Strong export trade for calves
The shipping trade is particularly supportive of the Friesian bulls suitable for export for which the prices have been holding up to parity with 2004, as the weekly live shipment of calves exceed 2,600 head.
Year-to-date there has been more than a ten-fold rise in the number of calves being shipped live. Peak weeks for export in March ranged from 2,500 to 3,000 head, which is four to five times the weekly export of calves in March 2004.
There were over 1,150 calves on offer at Bandon Mart this week with a very strong trade for the Friesian bulls.
Friesian bulls ranged €110-€220/head with Friesian heifers making €150-€230/head.
Hereford and Angus bulls ranged €240-€340/head and continental breed bulls made €260-€430/head.
Friesian bulls ranged €132-€310/head at Ennis Mart yesterday where continental breed bull calves made up to €420/head.
At Kanturk Mart yesterday the Friesian bull calves ranged €140- €240/head, Friesian heifers making €220-€320/head, continental bulls ranging €275-€365/head and continental heifers making €200-€350/head.
At Fermoy yesterday Friesian bulls made up to €230/head and Friesian heifers up to €185. Hereford bulls made up to €315/head and continental bulls sold for up to €360/head.
The exception is the poorer quality Friesian bulls and heifers with many of these selling back to €40-€50/head as the bulls suffer the effect of the loss of the headage-based premium payments which ended with the changeover to the EU single payment system.
