A new calf sale is set to commence at Sixmilebridge Co-op Mart in Co. Clare, with the first of these weekly sales to take place on Thursday, February 19, at 5:30pm.

Speaking to Agriland, Sixmilebridge Mart manager Joe Clune said that the weekly calf sale will take place every Thursday evening for the duration of the calf sale season.

He explained that Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny-based auctioneer Rory Doyle will be coming on board as auctioneer for the marts' new venture.

The mart manager said that the evening sale will suit farmers better, as they can drop calves off in the afternoon before the sale commences.

This is the first time a standalone calf sale will take place at the mart venue.

Clune said it comes at a time when growing numbers of the marts' patrons are considering rearing dairy-beef calves this spring, as well as more dairy farmers in the region are seeking a local sale to sell their calves in.

Clune said: "There's an awful amount of farmers after coming to me wanting to buy calves because they find the store cattle to be too dear."

He said there are a cohort of farmers which see current store cattle prices as "out of their reach, and they're going to buy calves and rear them to get back into stock".

He noted that last year, when cattle prices increased significantly, "an awful lot of people were out of stock before cattle got dear" and added that rearing calves "is a way for them to get back into stock".

He also said that export customers will be active in the sale, and that young farmers in the region who are looking to build cattle numbers have been looking for a calf sale at the mart venue.

"You'll see the throughput of calves in marts is going to rise, especially at the start because they're going to go somewhere with them to see what they're making," Clune explained.

Clune hopes that the evening sales "will suit both the buyer and the seller" and added that the mart can provide a calf collection service if needed.