This one-month-old Angus heifer sold for €190 in Bandon on Monday.
The steady rise in numbers of beef-sired calves continues, with prices starting to ease slightly this week.
However, having strengthened slightly last week, early-maturing type beef calves are just back to where they were a fortnight ago.
This sees Angus bulls and heifers average €207/head and €176/head – down €9 and €11 on the week respectively.
Hereford bulls and heifers averaged €226/head and €194/head, back €17 and €6 on the previous seven days.
The number of Friesian bull calves in the market place is beginning to dip, back by almost 30% on the week.
Strong demand
These three-week-old bull calves averaged €75/head in Bandon on Monday.
Trade for Friesian bull calves has been quite turbulent over the last seven days. The second half of last week saw little activity from export buyers, as disruption to boats reduced demand for this type of calf.
This saw the average price back €7/head on the week to €53/head. However, much of this is coming from the second half of last week. This is also reflected in the fact that there were 15% fewer Friesian bull calves traded compared with the previous week, as more farmers held on to calves during the disruption.
The beef and lamb prices continue their climb in marts and abattoirs in Scotland.
The beef price has been driven up 8p/kg in the last seven days, with some abattoirs paying £3.98/kg for R-grade carcases.
However, there is a spread of prices, as some slaughterhouses try to increase their prices at a more modest rate.
This sharp rise would indicate a tightening of supply at a time when numbers are typically available.
Last year’s higher heifer kill looks to have dropped back to the level we have become accustomed to in previous years.
This upturn can be seen in the official Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) prices for the week ending 13 March. An R4L grading steer is priced at £3.93/ kg, which is up 5p/kg. Same-grade heifers were £3.95/kg, which is up 6p on the week. The young bull price is up 5p/kg to £3.79/kg.
Exceptional demand for calves over the last number of weeks meant the Thrive programme farmers were almost priced out of the market, with it being difficult to see a positive margin at the end of the system due to high calf prices.
That being said, there is a balancing point between calf price and calf birthdate - striking that balance is proving very difficult so far this year.
Many of the farms in the programme are operating a 19- to 20-month system that sees animals slaughtered off grass at the end of the second grazing season.
To have a chance of getting out of the system in this time frame, the farms need to be working with a February or first half of March-born calf.
Carrigallen Mart held its annual show and sale of heifers on Thursday last.
The sale saw 400 heifers go under the hammer, with a strong demand for factory-fit heifers, as well as heifers suitable for grazing.
Top-quality cattle were in demand, with the top price hitting €4,100 for a 710kg Charolais-cross heifer.
The sale champion sold for €2,020 at 665kg, while a second-prizewinning heifer sold for €3,000 at 650kg.
Price extremes
Mart manager Helen Kells said: “The in-calf heifer and fatstock scene has driven the price of the top of the range cattle to extremes in the past 12 months.
“It’s a massive boost for producers and our suppliers to have these customers willing to go the distance on the right animals.”