Strong factory demand for all slaughter-fit stock continues, but factories are digging in in an attempt to curtail further upward price movement. The general base price paid for steers is €4.00/kg, with heifers split on a base of €4.10/kg to €4.15/kg.
There are small numbers of steers trading at a base of €4.05/kg, with specialised finishers and those handling higher numbers remaining in the driving seat.
This is also the case for heifers, although there is more scope to secure the higher base of €4.15/kg, with supplies a little tighter than steers.
There are also regional differences reported, with demand and prices stronger in the northwest.
Demand is especially firm for lesser-grading animals, as demonstrated in the factory price table.
Flat-priced deals for O grading Friesian steers under 30 months and ticking the box on quality assurance and movement range from €3.80/kg to €3.90/kg, with producers with very large numbers on offer in a much stronger negotiating position and securing a flat price of up to €4.00/kg.
The shorter four-day week is also taking some of the pressure off plants to source stock and this is likely to be rekindled next week.
Demand for cows continues to outstrip supply, with agents very active in direct farm trading and mart sales. P+3 grades are selling in the main from €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg, with large numbers selling for 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.
The same differential is present for O and R grades. Fleshed Os are trading from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg for lesser-quality types, rising to €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg for good-quality O+ grading cows.
R grades have lifted in price by 10c/kg to 15c/kg over the last two weeks, with prices ranging from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg, with small numbers trading in cow specialist plants to a top of €3.65/kg and top U grade prices 5c/kg higher.
Bull throughput is steady and, at 3,149 head, is a small component of last week’s total weekly kill of 30,162 head.
Prices negotiated vary greatly depending on the negotiating power of the seller. R grading bulls are selling from €3.90/kg to €4.00/kg, with carcase weight again less of an issue. U grades are selling from €4.00/kg to €4.10/kg.
Returns for bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid at a base of €3.95/kg to €4.00/kg range from €4.20/kg to €4.30/kg, with payment of the 12c/kg QPS bonus the main difference in prices reported. Carcase weight and fat cover are the two factors influencing this.
The Northern trade remains solid. Base U-3 steer and heifer quotes range from £3.46/kg to £3.50/kg or for comparison purposes £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg for R=3 grades.
Sterling has fluctuated again, and taking yesterday’s stronger exchange rate of 83.5p to the euro, this equates to €4.32/kg to €4.37/kg for R grades including VAT at 5.4%.
Cows also remain a very strong trade, with fleshed O+ grading cows selling from £2.50/kg to £2.55/kg (€3.16/kg to €3.22/kg).
British prices continue to buck the trend of 2016, recording a slight strengthening of 1p/kg to 2p/kg. This has pushed R4L grading heifers and steers to £3.68/kg to £3.70/kg (€4.65/kg to €4.67/kg).
Meanwhile, Bord Bia reports Italian R grade bulls trading at €4.05/kg excluding VAT, with French bulls at €3.73/kg and German bulls at €3.69/kg excluding VAT.
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Cattle prices: numbers and quality start to turn at marts
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.
Strong factory demand for all slaughter-fit stock continues, but factories are digging in in an attempt to curtail further upward price movement. The general base price paid for steers is €4.00/kg, with heifers split on a base of €4.10/kg to €4.15/kg.
There are small numbers of steers trading at a base of €4.05/kg, with specialised finishers and those handling higher numbers remaining in the driving seat.
This is also the case for heifers, although there is more scope to secure the higher base of €4.15/kg, with supplies a little tighter than steers.
There are also regional differences reported, with demand and prices stronger in the northwest.
Demand is especially firm for lesser-grading animals, as demonstrated in the factory price table.
Flat-priced deals for O grading Friesian steers under 30 months and ticking the box on quality assurance and movement range from €3.80/kg to €3.90/kg, with producers with very large numbers on offer in a much stronger negotiating position and securing a flat price of up to €4.00/kg.
The shorter four-day week is also taking some of the pressure off plants to source stock and this is likely to be rekindled next week.
Demand for cows continues to outstrip supply, with agents very active in direct farm trading and mart sales. P+3 grades are selling in the main from €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg, with large numbers selling for 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.
The same differential is present for O and R grades. Fleshed Os are trading from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg for lesser-quality types, rising to €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg for good-quality O+ grading cows.
R grades have lifted in price by 10c/kg to 15c/kg over the last two weeks, with prices ranging from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg, with small numbers trading in cow specialist plants to a top of €3.65/kg and top U grade prices 5c/kg higher.
Bull throughput is steady and, at 3,149 head, is a small component of last week’s total weekly kill of 30,162 head.
Prices negotiated vary greatly depending on the negotiating power of the seller. R grading bulls are selling from €3.90/kg to €4.00/kg, with carcase weight again less of an issue. U grades are selling from €4.00/kg to €4.10/kg.
Returns for bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid at a base of €3.95/kg to €4.00/kg range from €4.20/kg to €4.30/kg, with payment of the 12c/kg QPS bonus the main difference in prices reported. Carcase weight and fat cover are the two factors influencing this.
The Northern trade remains solid. Base U-3 steer and heifer quotes range from £3.46/kg to £3.50/kg or for comparison purposes £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg for R=3 grades.
Sterling has fluctuated again, and taking yesterday’s stronger exchange rate of 83.5p to the euro, this equates to €4.32/kg to €4.37/kg for R grades including VAT at 5.4%.
Cows also remain a very strong trade, with fleshed O+ grading cows selling from £2.50/kg to £2.55/kg (€3.16/kg to €3.22/kg).
British prices continue to buck the trend of 2016, recording a slight strengthening of 1p/kg to 2p/kg. This has pushed R4L grading heifers and steers to £3.68/kg to £3.70/kg (€4.65/kg to €4.67/kg).
Meanwhile, Bord Bia reports Italian R grade bulls trading at €4.05/kg excluding VAT, with French bulls at €3.73/kg and German bulls at €3.69/kg excluding VAT.
Read more
Cattle prices: numbers and quality start to turn at marts
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.
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