IFA national livestock chairman Henry Burns has said the cattle trade remains strong with factories paying a base of €4.30 for steers and €4.40 for heifers and top-ups to both base prices ranging from 3c to 5c/kg extra in places to get numbers.

Burns said factories are paying up to 10c/kg over quoted prices to get very tight supplies. “Some farmers are reporting of factory agents and procurement managers ringing them, offering 10ckg more for immediate supply on the day or the next morning delivery. Flat prices of €4.50/kg for heifers have been paid this week.”

The increasing strength of the sterling against the euro and high beef prices in the UK are also lifting the market here.

On supplies, Henry Burns said Bord Bia has highlighted the fact that finished cattle supplies will remain very scarce for the next 12 months, with AIMS data from June 1st 2015 showing that the number of cattle in the 12 to 36 month age category are back 100,000 head compared to 2014 levels.

Sheep

Meanwhile, IFA national sheep chairman John Lynskey said lamb supplies have tightened this week, with some factories offering up to €5/kg to get numbers.

He said the general run of prices is €4.80/kg with good solid demand as numbers have become tighter. “There is a range of prices on offer from quotes as low as €4.60 to paid prices of €4.90 and top offers of €5.00/kg. Farmers need to bargain hard on both weights and prices to make sure they are getting the best deal.”

In addition, John Lynskey said some of the factories have started to move up on carcase weights, with the tighter supplies. He said there is also a range of weights on offer, with some plants trying to keep them at 21kgs and others paying up to 22kgs. In July he said it is normally 21,5kgs and this should move up to 22kgs in August.

Read this week's Irish Farmers Journal market reports

Cattle prices: 40,000 lower kill in changing profile

Sheep prices: Plants on €4.60/kg base quote