There is no change in beef prices over the last week. The majority of cattle continue to trade on a base of €3.70/kg for steers and €3.80/kg for heifers.

There are small numbers of producers trading at the top of the market securing 5c/kg higher, but likewise there are a small number of sellers with weak negotiating power and possibly out-of-spec stock struggling with 5c/kg lower offers.

Numbers coming on stream continue to be buoyed by cattle still coming fit off grass, particularly in the south east, and shed-finished stock starting to appear in greater numbers. This is particularly the case for under 16-month and under 24-month-old bulls.

Most plants are trying to keep a lid on the base price offered to bulls under 16 months at €3.70/kg, although some specialist producers with strong relationships to factories are securing a base of €3.75/kg.

This excludes the 12c/kg QPS bonus for those meeting required specifications.

Bulls aged over 16 months, but under 24 months, are trading in the main from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg for R’s and €3.85/kg for U’s.

Again, there are some regular producers securing €3.90/kg for U grade bulls ticking all the boxes on quality assurance, age and weight.

Cows

The cow trade is steady with no real change to last week. Some plants active in the market are extra keen for good-quality fleshed cows. P+3 grading cows are trading from €2.90/kg to €3.05/kg at the top of the market, with O grades selling from €3.00/kg in plants not overly interested in cows to €3.15/kg at the top of the market.

Likewise, R grades are trading from €3.10/kg to €3.25/kg with U grades in general to €3.30/kg and 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher in plants specialising in the export trade or wholesale market.

Northern trade

The northern trade remains solid with U3- steer and heifer base quotes ranging from £3.40/kg to £3.44/kg. This is the equivalent of €4.30/kg to €4.34/kg at an exchange rate of 84p to the euro, although sterling strengthened to between 83p and 83.5p at stages throughout the day, with the Italian vote and subsequent discussions about the resignation of their prime minister weakening the euro to sterling exchange rate.

AHDB report last week’s beef prices strengthening on average by 1p to 1.5p. R4L steer and heifer prices are now averaging £3.65/kg with a 10p/kg to 15p/kg shift between prices in Scotland and North England and those in the south of the country.

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