Factories have taken more control of the trade in areas worst affected by continuous rainfall and deteriorating ground conditions.
In these areas, many plants have moved base quotes for steers to €3.75/kg, with small numbers of cattle trading on a base of €3.80/kg.
There is more scope to achieve a base of €3.80/kg in the east and south, where there is less pressure on farmers to move stock.
In these situations, sellers with more negotiating power have secured an extra 2c/kg to 5c/kg or allowances on transport.
Last week’s kill fell marginally by 131 head to 35,502. The increase in the kill in recent weeks has been driven primarily by steers, with last week’s steer throughput reaching a high of 17,296.
Factories are anxious to maintain this high level of throughput and are very active in the market.
Heifer throughput is steady at 8,583. The base quote paid is a mixture of €3.85/kg and €3.90/kg, with a similar trend to that described above. At the top of the market, a base of €3.92/kg to €3.95/kg has been paid for small numbers of top-quality heifers.
While other categories were steady, bull throughput reduced by 375 head to 2,063. The majority of these are being traded by specialist finishers who are securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg above prices quoted to irregular sellers with small numbers.
R grading bulls are selling from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg, with U grades from €3.85/kg to €3.90/kg. Throughput of Friesian bulls is small, with O grades from €3.60/kg to €3.65/kg.
The cow trade is largely steady, although some plants are trying to reduce quotes by 5c/kg. This is bringing P+3 grading cows closer to €3.05/kg, but there is still up to €3.20/kg being paid at the top of the market. Likewise, O grades are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with R grades from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg and U grades to a top of €3.55/kg to €3.60/kg.
NI and British trade
The northern trade is unchanged, although plants continue to try to insert downward pressure on the trade.
Some plants are offering opening base quotes at less than £3.50/kg, but most sellers are resisting this pressure, with U-3 base quotes ranging from £3.50/kg to £3.56/kg.
The sterling exchange rate to the euro is continuing to gradually recover and with Wednesday afternoon’s exchange rate of 90.2p to the euro, this price range equates to €4.09/kg to €4.16/kg, including VAT at 5.4%.
Northern cow prices range from £2.65/kg (€3.10/kg) to £2.80/kg (€3.27/kg) for O and R grading cows.
The number of cattle exported to Northern Ireland for direct slaughter last week fell 180 head to 259, with numbers travelling in the opposite direction increasing 160 head to 259.
The British trade is holding steady overall, although the AHDB reports a slight increase in steer prices and a marginal decrease in heifer prices.
The average R4L steer price is reported at £3.88/kg (€4.53/kg incl VAT), with heifers 3p/kg less at £3.85/kg (€4.50/kg).
R grading young bulls are averaging £3.65/kg (€4.27/kg), while O grading cows are selling in the region of £2.80/kg (€3.27/kg).
Live exports
Live exports for the week ending 2 September totalled 2,141, of which 998 head were exported to Turkey.
Exports to Italy are steady at 283 head, with 642 cattle exported to Northern Ireland. Exports for the year to date, at 155,150, are running 50,573 above 2016 levels.
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
Read more
Beef trade in NI continues to edge down
Farmer sentenced for the illegal movement of cattle
Derrypatrick walk: getting braver at grass
Factories have taken more control of the trade in areas worst affected by continuous rainfall and deteriorating ground conditions.
In these areas, many plants have moved base quotes for steers to €3.75/kg, with small numbers of cattle trading on a base of €3.80/kg.
There is more scope to achieve a base of €3.80/kg in the east and south, where there is less pressure on farmers to move stock.
In these situations, sellers with more negotiating power have secured an extra 2c/kg to 5c/kg or allowances on transport.
Last week’s kill fell marginally by 131 head to 35,502. The increase in the kill in recent weeks has been driven primarily by steers, with last week’s steer throughput reaching a high of 17,296.
Factories are anxious to maintain this high level of throughput and are very active in the market.
Heifer throughput is steady at 8,583. The base quote paid is a mixture of €3.85/kg and €3.90/kg, with a similar trend to that described above. At the top of the market, a base of €3.92/kg to €3.95/kg has been paid for small numbers of top-quality heifers.
While other categories were steady, bull throughput reduced by 375 head to 2,063. The majority of these are being traded by specialist finishers who are securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg above prices quoted to irregular sellers with small numbers.
R grading bulls are selling from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg, with U grades from €3.85/kg to €3.90/kg. Throughput of Friesian bulls is small, with O grades from €3.60/kg to €3.65/kg.
The cow trade is largely steady, although some plants are trying to reduce quotes by 5c/kg. This is bringing P+3 grading cows closer to €3.05/kg, but there is still up to €3.20/kg being paid at the top of the market. Likewise, O grades are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with R grades from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg and U grades to a top of €3.55/kg to €3.60/kg.
NI and British trade
The northern trade is unchanged, although plants continue to try to insert downward pressure on the trade.
Some plants are offering opening base quotes at less than £3.50/kg, but most sellers are resisting this pressure, with U-3 base quotes ranging from £3.50/kg to £3.56/kg.
The sterling exchange rate to the euro is continuing to gradually recover and with Wednesday afternoon’s exchange rate of 90.2p to the euro, this price range equates to €4.09/kg to €4.16/kg, including VAT at 5.4%.
Northern cow prices range from £2.65/kg (€3.10/kg) to £2.80/kg (€3.27/kg) for O and R grading cows.
The number of cattle exported to Northern Ireland for direct slaughter last week fell 180 head to 259, with numbers travelling in the opposite direction increasing 160 head to 259.
The British trade is holding steady overall, although the AHDB reports a slight increase in steer prices and a marginal decrease in heifer prices.
The average R4L steer price is reported at £3.88/kg (€4.53/kg incl VAT), with heifers 3p/kg less at £3.85/kg (€4.50/kg).
R grading young bulls are averaging £3.65/kg (€4.27/kg), while O grading cows are selling in the region of £2.80/kg (€3.27/kg).
Live exports
Live exports for the week ending 2 September totalled 2,141, of which 998 head were exported to Turkey.
Exports to Italy are steady at 283 head, with 642 cattle exported to Northern Ireland. Exports for the year to date, at 155,150, are running 50,573 above 2016 levels.
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
Read more
Beef trade in NI continues to edge down
Farmer sentenced for the illegal movement of cattle
Derrypatrick walk: getting braver at grass
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