Gearing up for a busy calf sale season at Carnew Mart
The spring 2026 calving season is now well underway and the peak calf sale season is also fast approaching.
Preparations have been made well in advance of this busy season at Carnew Mart in Co. Wicklow.
Agriland caught up with Eugene Clune from Carnew Mart to hear how the sale is organised to facilitate the trade of up to 1,000 calves/week during the peak spring calf sale season.
Clune explained that in recent years, the mart has been "actively working to improve the service they provide to both calf sellers and calf buyers while ensuring that the highest standards of calf welfare are achieved".
He said: "This has resulted in a surge in the number of calves going through Carnew Mart. We expect 800-1,000 calves presented for sale every week here during peak calf sales in March and April.
"Calf welfare is at the top of the agenda at Carnew Mart, with a number of measures implemented to help reduce stress on the calves.
He outlined some of the measures at the mart's calf sale to ensure a good environment for calf welfare is in place.
"Calves are bedded on straw in pens before and after the sale. This ensures a warm and comfortable environment for them," he said.
He added that the intake of calves does not begin until 9:00a.m, allowing the seller "time to do the milking, feed the calves and be ready to leave for the mart at a reasonable hour in the morning".
"The sale starts at 11:00a.m and the Carnew Mart aims to sell all calves properly but in a timely manner.
"Calves are sorted into buyers pens as they are sold, which once again leads to an efficient turnaround reducing the time that calves are in the mart.
"This leads to happier, healthier calves for buyers and an easier start for farmers selling calves," Clune said.
He also noted that the mart is offering a calf-collection service, which is available to farmers who may be unable to deliver their own calves to the sale for various reasons.
Clune said that by prioritising a focus on delivering quality calf sale service with an emphasis on calf health and welfare, Carnew Mart is growing its supplier and customer base for calves of all specifications and is capable of handling large numbers of calves in a smooth and efficient manner.
