Tight supply supports calf values amid poor beef trade

Calf prices remain remarkably firm despite loss-making beef prices, say auctioneers.

However, some selective bidding has been seen for second choice animals and market reports are failing to hit the highs of last year’s £500-£600 bids.

Finished beef prices are £90 or more back on the year, which is taking much of the blame for the poor prices. Southern deadweight averages for an O+ steer slumped to 337.7p/kg last week.

However, a turn towards sexed semen and the usual summer dearth of calves is seeing prices hold firm now farms have finished lambing and are looking to fill sheds.

See also: Bad news for finishing units as prime cattle price falters

Beeston Castle

Numbers are reaching 300-350-head a week at Beeston Castle on Thursdays where Wright Marshall’s Jonty Cliffe typically sells calves at six weeks and under due to bTB restrictions.

Throughputs have fallen from 400-450 earlier in the spring and trade, as is normal for May and June, is firm.

“I thought calf prices would drop more to be honest, but as numbers build into the autumn I think we could see prices fall further,” said Mr Cliffe.

“We didn’t see the headline prices of £500 and more last year because we sell younger calves here. The best continental calves were making £400 and more last year and this year they’re making £350-£360.”

More use of sexed semen had made Friesian bulls scarce, lifting averages on the year from £40-£45 to £60, he said.

However, native-sired calves were back £50 a head, with best quality Angus heifers making £150 and second quality sorts making £100, he added.

Continental-cross bull calf averages have moved back from £280-£300 towards the £250 mark.

Gisburn 

Calf trade has been consistently firm this year at Gisburn, where Rachel Capstick sells mainly six-to-eight-week old calves every Friday.

Last year Blue-cross calves flew to £550 and more, but this year anything around £480-£520 is topping the mart, she explained.

Last week’s sale (13 June) saw 101 calves top at £455, £428 and £410 twice for strong Blue-cross calves.

Continental calves are mainly made up of Blue-cross calves, with heifers averaging just shy of £300 and bull calves levelling at £350.

Native bred Angus bulls are levelling at £300 a head, while Angus-cross heifers are averaging £200, she said.

She added that black and white bulls have been a consistently good trade over the past few weeks and have averaged £90, with stronger ones at £200 or slightly more.