It looks like too much of the beef being bitten on in Ireland and the EU these weeks is coming from South America. Certainly there is a lack of "bite" in the demand for most finished beef cattle in Ireland.

Only those with heavy cows or heavy U grade steers are getting calls from export plants. There are the usual niche prices of the 280 c/kg for the under 12 month bulls/heifers and 266/270 c/kg for KK heifers and Certified Angus cattle. For others it's a "take-it-or-leave-it" job with Munster type prices of 249/253 (88/90p/lb) for O/R grades filtering North rather than the desired situation of the better Northern prices moving south.

Fergal Quinn has responded by dropping beef prices by 25% in his supermarkets. That fact that this could be done so simply has alarmed the IFA who have sought a meeting with Mr Quinn on the issue.

Already most farmers have sent cattle to grass and soon all feedlots will be emptied of beef. So maybe in two to three weeks a price lift can be expected.

For the moment the trade is revolving around the 252 c/kg (90p a lb) with some Southern plants opening this week on 241/246 (86/88 p/lb). However some farmer resistance stopped cattle being sold at this price. Factories say they will try again next week at this lower price. There is some discrimination against cattle that come from a non Russian county. Egypt is still not a factor in the trade.

Prices in northern Ireland have slipped by about 2 p a kg on the week but here too the farmers report little bite in the trade.

IFA's Derek Deane stressed that the important UK market continues to trade strongly at the equivalent of 294 c/kg (105p/lb) for R grades and 280 c/kg (»1/lb) for O grades. His feed back is that while factories tried to buy at 246 c/kg for Os and 252 c/kg for Rs the factories eventually paid 252 c/kg for OI and 258 c/kg for Rs.

Marts

Bigger numbers of cattle are coming into the marts again this week. In some of the outlying marts such as Dingle there were reports that the 30 day rule on dealers had dropped the prices. However most marts report prices steady to stronger, especially for quality cattle. Agents for stud farms were busy this week.

Bulls

Live shippers are finding it hard to get bulls. One exporter looking for 400 to 450 kg bulls for Greece was prepared to pay up £150 over the £ a kg for animals with premium claimed but found he was "brushing water up the hill."

Imported cattle

The main outlet for killing imported cattle is Honeyclover Freshford. This company kills imported stock one day a week. The price for heavy cows and bulls is about 112 c/kg (40p/lb) and half that for canner types. This compares to 196 c/kg (70p/lb) paid in this plant for Irish born cows.

Maynooth farewell flourish

The last ever sale in Maynooth on Wednesday attracted 600 calves which sold like hot buns.