Cattle marts report: Cattle numbers hold solid, prices are steady and bargain calves are as rare as hen’s teeth

Ever the optimist, I went to Dungarvan mart on Monday in search of a few cheap calves. But alas for me, I arrived too late.

The sale for calves was all but over when I touched down at the Waterford mart. So sadly no bargain calf did I buy. And even if I had arrived on time, I fear I would never have had the opportunity to raise my hand in the fight for that cheap calf.

“Calves were stone mad here today,” was the response I got when I asked a farmer leaving the calf ring how the morning had gone. So my search for those elusive bargain calves continues.