There is less optimism in the beef trade than there was this time last week. Finishers’ attempts to maintain upward momentum and push prices up another 5c/kg have been strongly resisted, with prices steadying in recent days.
This leaves steers trading in the main at a mixed base of €3.95/kg to €4.00/kg, with heifers trading from €4.05/kg to €4.10/kg.
Last week’s kill reverted back to more normal levels, with a carryover of stock lifting the kill to 36,920 head.
This comprised a much higher kill of 13,330 steers, which was about 2,000 head above previous weeks’ levels.
Other categories were similar, with 9,647 heifers and 7,028 cows handled. The bull kill was higher than expected, with 4,966 bulls less than 24 months of age processed and 885 older bulls, while the number of calves processed exceeded 1,000 head for the third week running.
Throughput appears to have been helped by firm supplies in the southern half of the country, boosted by higher numbers of Friesian steers coming on stream.
Supplies are reported as remaining tighter in the midlands and west and this is witnessing some sellers trading at the higher end of the market having greater success in securing the higher prices.
R grading bulls are trading from €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg, with U grades from €4.00/kg to €4.05/kg and a top of €4.10/kg in isolated deals.
Fleshed O grading bulls are trading on average from €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling mainly on a base of €3.95/kg, but there are deals being completed 5c/kg higher.
This excludes the 12c/kg quality payment scheme (QPS) bonus for cattle ticking all the boxes on age, fat cover and number of farm movements. Some plants are also only paying the higher base for bulls weighing less than 400kg to 420kg.
Cows remain a really solid trade, with agents resuming purchasing activity in marts.
P+3 grading cows are trading on average from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, but up to 10c/kg higher has been paid for cows traded in big numbers.
Likewise, O grading cows are trading anywhere from €3.35/kg to €3.50/kg, with R grades from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg.
Flat-priced deals for heavy R and U grading cows are rising to €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg in cow-specialist plants, with the best demand for young cows.
Northern trade
A tightening in numbers is starting to insert more life into the northern trade.
Base U-3 steer and heifer quotes are unchanged at £3.52/kg to £3.56/kg. This is the equivalent of €3.97/kg to €4.02/kg at Wednesday afternoon’s exchange rate of 88.6p to the euro or €4.18/kg to €4.23/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
However, regular sellers are having more success in pushing prices to £3.60/kg (€4.30/kg).
Cow prices are steady, with O grading cows trading from £2.65/kg to £2.85/kg (€3.15/kg to €3.39/kg), depending on quality and numbers offered, while good R and U grading cows are selling from £2.90/kg (€3.45/kg) where traded in individual lots or small numbers to a top of £3.00/kg to £3.15/kg (€3.57/kg to €3.75/kg).
British beef prices are steady overall, with marginal increases and decreases across different regions.
R4L steer and heifer prices remain unchanged at an average of £3.67/kg (€4.36/kg incl VAT).
Bull prices have recovered following the previous week’s dip, with AHDB price analysis reporting an average R3 price of £3.55/kg (€4.22/kg).
Read more
Northern view: cattle prices edging upwards as numbers tighten
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
There is less optimism in the beef trade than there was this time last week. Finishers’ attempts to maintain upward momentum and push prices up another 5c/kg have been strongly resisted, with prices steadying in recent days.
This leaves steers trading in the main at a mixed base of €3.95/kg to €4.00/kg, with heifers trading from €4.05/kg to €4.10/kg.
Last week’s kill reverted back to more normal levels, with a carryover of stock lifting the kill to 36,920 head.
This comprised a much higher kill of 13,330 steers, which was about 2,000 head above previous weeks’ levels.
Other categories were similar, with 9,647 heifers and 7,028 cows handled. The bull kill was higher than expected, with 4,966 bulls less than 24 months of age processed and 885 older bulls, while the number of calves processed exceeded 1,000 head for the third week running.
Throughput appears to have been helped by firm supplies in the southern half of the country, boosted by higher numbers of Friesian steers coming on stream.
Supplies are reported as remaining tighter in the midlands and west and this is witnessing some sellers trading at the higher end of the market having greater success in securing the higher prices.
R grading bulls are trading from €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg, with U grades from €4.00/kg to €4.05/kg and a top of €4.10/kg in isolated deals.
Fleshed O grading bulls are trading on average from €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling mainly on a base of €3.95/kg, but there are deals being completed 5c/kg higher.
This excludes the 12c/kg quality payment scheme (QPS) bonus for cattle ticking all the boxes on age, fat cover and number of farm movements. Some plants are also only paying the higher base for bulls weighing less than 400kg to 420kg.
Cows remain a really solid trade, with agents resuming purchasing activity in marts.
P+3 grading cows are trading on average from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, but up to 10c/kg higher has been paid for cows traded in big numbers.
Likewise, O grading cows are trading anywhere from €3.35/kg to €3.50/kg, with R grades from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg.
Flat-priced deals for heavy R and U grading cows are rising to €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg in cow-specialist plants, with the best demand for young cows.
Northern trade
A tightening in numbers is starting to insert more life into the northern trade.
Base U-3 steer and heifer quotes are unchanged at £3.52/kg to £3.56/kg. This is the equivalent of €3.97/kg to €4.02/kg at Wednesday afternoon’s exchange rate of 88.6p to the euro or €4.18/kg to €4.23/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
However, regular sellers are having more success in pushing prices to £3.60/kg (€4.30/kg).
Cow prices are steady, with O grading cows trading from £2.65/kg to £2.85/kg (€3.15/kg to €3.39/kg), depending on quality and numbers offered, while good R and U grading cows are selling from £2.90/kg (€3.45/kg) where traded in individual lots or small numbers to a top of £3.00/kg to £3.15/kg (€3.57/kg to €3.75/kg).
British beef prices are steady overall, with marginal increases and decreases across different regions.
R4L steer and heifer prices remain unchanged at an average of £3.67/kg (€4.36/kg incl VAT).
Bull prices have recovered following the previous week’s dip, with AHDB price analysis reporting an average R3 price of £3.55/kg (€4.22/kg).
Read more
Northern view: cattle prices edging upwards as numbers tighten
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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