Some of the top prices in the beef trade that were coming on offer last week are reported in places as being harder to secure at the start of this week. A number of factory agents trading with finishers at the top end of the market have set out their stall at a base of €3.70/kg for steers and €3.80/kg for heifers, a drop of 5c/kg. These agents comment that supplies are continuing to come strong and reducing pressure on plants to compete at the higher end of the market. Others point to purchasing demand weakening for the Christmas market and orders filling faster than anticipated with the higher kills.

Prices for sellers finishing or handling smaller numbers remain unchanged at a mixture of €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg base for steers and €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg for heifers.

Heifers and cows remain at high throughout in provisional weekly kill figures. Friesian cows are trading from €2.85/kg to €3.00/kg for P+3 grading lots, rising to €3.10/kg at the higher end of the market for fleshed O grades. R are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg in the main, with U grades 10c/kg to 15c/kg higher.

Contrasting trade

The trade is in contrast to Northern Ireland where factory agents are rewarding sellers with higher numbers. Entry level U3- base quotes remain at £3.40/kg to £3.44/kg (€4.21/kg to €4.26/kg including VAT). Reports indicate, however, that specialised finishers are extracting more from the market with quotes of 6p to 10p/kg extra and even higher reported. The trade has continued to close the differential with British prices, although it still remain significant with R4L steers steady at £3.65/kg to £3.68/kg and heifers 2p to 5p lower.

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Smaller trade at Balla Mart does not hit cattle prices