Average prices for bull and heifer beef calves from 3-6-weeks-of-age in all the main beef-sire breeds are now above €300, according to the latest Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) calf-price data for dairy-dam calves traded in marts in the last full week of April.

The 2025 calf trade is almost unrecognisable from previous years, and its resurgence has seen more dairy farmers willing to keep calves for a few days longer and sell them at higher weights - further lifting the prices received for calves.

With the average dairy herd size now over 95 cows, a farmer with 100 above-average quality beef-sired calves from 3-6-weeks-of-age to sell would secure over €30,000 for these at present, according to the ICBF's average calf price data.

The strong calf prices paid this year will no doubt see more dairy farmers placing a higher focus on further improving the genetic beef potential of the non-replacement calves produced from their milking herds.

The table below details the average price paid for Angus-sired calves by sex and age in the week ending Sunday, April 27:

Belgian Blue-sired bull and heifer calves from 3-6-weeks-of-age retained the highest average prices last week, according to the ICBF data at €478 and €408/calf respectively - albeit - with sale data recorded for lower numbers of calves than some of the other breeds.

Charolais-sired bull and heifer calves of the same age range averaged €445 and €377/head respectively last week with Limousin-sired bull and heifer calves averaging €429 and €354/calf respectively.

The table below details the average price paid for Hereford-sired calves by sex and age in the week ending Sunday, April 27:

Friesian bull calves under 3-weeks-of-age averaged €245/head last week while Friesian bull calves from 3-6-weeks-of-age averaged €243/head last week, according to the ICBF data.

Breeding season generally kicks off on spring-calving dairy farms in late April or early May, and the volumes of calves for sale tends to drop off as the month progresses.