Table: Drop in average calf prices paid in most categories last week

By Breifne O'Brien

April 6, 2026 5:00 AM

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Average calf prices declined in most categories last week, according to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation's (ICBF's) calf price database.

In the week ending Sunday, March 29, Angus bull calves under three weeks-of-age averaged €392/head, down from €430/head in the previous week.

Hereford bull calves averaged €436/head - down from €452/head in the previous week.

Friesian bull calves from 3-6 weeks-of-age averaged €256, down from €279 in the previous week.

The table below details the ICBF calf price data for dairy-bred (dairy dam) calves traded in marts in the week ending Sunday, March 29:

Sire breed	Sex	Age range	Number of Calves	Average Age (days)	Average Price (€)	Number with Recorded Weight	Average Weight (kg)
Angus	M	<21 days	570	18	392	373	56
Angus	M	21-42 days	3,737	30	450	2,551	62
Angus	F	<21 days	485	18	307	324	53
Angus	F	21-42 days	3,475	30	343	2,443	59
Aubrac	M	<21 days	14	19	379	13	58
Aubrac	M	21-42 days	94	30	392	44	60
Aubrac	F	<21 days	13	19	296	6	49
Aubrac	F	21-42 days	81	30	364	36	60
Belgian Blue	M	<21 days	69	18	516	25	68
Belgian Blue	M	21-42 days	754	30	541	379	66
Belgian Blue	F	<21 days	56	18	396	22	58
Belgian Blue	F	21-42 days	649	31	465	294	63
Charolais	M	<21 days	32	19	503	18	67
Charolais	M	21-42 days	279	30	567	172	71
Charolais	F	<21 days	19	19	402	11	57
Charolais	F	21-42 days	278	31	477	173	65
Friesian	M	<21 days	400	18	256	243	57
Friesian	M	21-42 days	4872	31	263	3439	60
Friesian	F	<21 days	7	18	233	6	49
Friesian	F	21-42 days	177	32	293	129	55
Hereford	M	<21 days	308	17	436	159	59
Hereford	M	21-42 days	1680	29	488	1,019	65
Hereford	F	<21 days	299	17	335	146	56
Hereford	F	21-42 days	1664	30	374	1,044	61
Limousin	M	<21 days	46	17	468	13	61
Limousin	M	21-42 days	258	30	506	123	66
Limousin	F	<21 days	33	17	382	17	62
Limousin	F	21-42 days	251	30	421	99	64
Salers	M	<21 days	1	20	370	0	0
Salers	M	21-42 days	7	32	374	2	53
Salers	F	<21 days	1	16	420	0	0
Salers	F	21-42 days	6	33	316	4	54
Simmental	M	<21 days	26	18	457	10	67
Simmental	M	21-42 days	147	30	512	106	71
Simmental	F	<21 days	12	17	437	8	66
Simmental	F	21-42 days	78	30	471	64	65
Other Beef Breeds	M	<21 days	12	18	275	6	52
Other Beef Breeds	M	21-42 days	104	29	355	66	60
Other Beef Breeds	F	<21 days	11	18	325	3	54
Other Beef Breeds	F	21-42 days	89	30	349	73	56

Source: ICBF

The category with the highest average price remains the Charolais bull calf from 3-6 weeks-of-age.

These averaged €567 last week - much the same as the price of €569/head in the previous week.

Larger volumes of beef-sired calves are coming available on a weekly basis into late March.

Most spring-calving dairy herds tend to breed their replacements first, hence more of the earlier-born calves tend to be bred off dairy sires and the beef-sired calves are produced later in the season.

Calf prices were rallying this time last year, but this year is a different story with calf prices in decline, albeit from a record-high start to the year.

Good demand is still being seen for calves, both for export and domestically.