There is more life entering the beef trade as the week progresses. Factories are faced with tighter supplies and are starting to become more active and, in many cases, are competing with greater intensity outside of their normal catchment area.
This is particularly the case for deals involving large numbers, with more reports on Wednesday of sellers securing a base of €4.20/kg for steers.
This upward momentum is also trickling back down the line and sellers with smaller numbers are now in a good position to secure a base of €4.15/kg, with deals also completed in cases to include allowances on transport costs.
There are still cattle moving at a lower base in deals negotiated earlier in the week.
There is a similar trend for heifers, with higher numbers trading from the middle of the week at a base of €4.25/kg to €4.30/kg, with a reducing number trading off a base of €4.20/kg.
Last week’s kill was recorded at 29,441 head, which was relatively strong given it was a four-day kill. Reports show farmers clearing out sheds and moving some tail-end supplies as helping to put a good floor under throughput, with some carried over into the start of this week.
There is also more life in the bull and cow trade. There is an increase in bulls less than 16 months coming on to the market.
Factories are trying to delay upward movement in base quotes, with average prices of €4.15/kg reported. Smaller numbers are trading at the top of the market for 3c/kg to 5c/kg higher.
Bulls over 16 months and less than 24 months are trading from €4.20/kg to €4.25/kg for U grades and €4.15/kg to €4.20/kg for R grades.
Large lots of O grading bulls continue to command excellent prices relative to top continental bulls, with prices ranging from €3.90/kg to €4.05/kg.
There has been a sharp rise in cows traded through marts in recent months. This is being underpinned by two factors: the ending of pre-movement brucellosis testing encouraging more farmers to show cows in marts and a super trade enticing more farmers with smaller numbers in particular to opt for selling in the ring.
It is clear that agents and those handling larger numbers have greater selling power and this is reflected in a wide price differential.
P+3 grading cows are trading from €3.40/kg to €3.50/kg, while O grading cows are selling from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg and up to €3.65/kg where traded in higher numbers.
P and O grading cows are running up to 10c/kg above the same period in 2017, while R and U grading cows are securing a higher price increase of up to 16c/kg.
R grading cows are trading anywhere from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg in cow-specialist plants, with U grades 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.
Northern trade
The northern trade is solid, with prices edging upwards by about 2p/kg in the last week.
Plants are still trying to open base U-3 quotes at £3.58/kg to £3.60/kg, which is the equivalent of €4.10/kg to €4.12/kg at 87.4p to the euro and €4.32/kg to €4.34/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Regular sellers are securing returns rising to the mid-£3.60s, with the top prices reported edging up to £3.70/kg (€4.46/kg incl VAT).
AHDB price reporting shows R4L British steer prices rising 2p/kg to £3.80/kg (€4.58/kg incl VAT), while heifers remain steady at an R4L price of £3.78/kg (€4.56/kg). R3 bulls meanwhile have strengthened 3p/kg to £3.63/kg (€4.38/kg), while cows are steady at an O grading price of £2.80/kg to £3.00/kg (€3.38/kg to €3.62/kg).
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Beef prices moving in favour of finishers
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 more life entering the beef trade as the week progresses. Factories are faced with tighter supplies and are starting to become more active and, in many cases, are competing with greater intensity outside of their normal catchment area.
This is particularly the case for deals involving large numbers, with more reports on Wednesday of sellers securing a base of €4.20/kg for steers.
This upward momentum is also trickling back down the line and sellers with smaller numbers are now in a good position to secure a base of €4.15/kg, with deals also completed in cases to include allowances on transport costs.
There are still cattle moving at a lower base in deals negotiated earlier in the week.
There is a similar trend for heifers, with higher numbers trading from the middle of the week at a base of €4.25/kg to €4.30/kg, with a reducing number trading off a base of €4.20/kg.
Last week’s kill was recorded at 29,441 head, which was relatively strong given it was a four-day kill. Reports show farmers clearing out sheds and moving some tail-end supplies as helping to put a good floor under throughput, with some carried over into the start of this week.
There is also more life in the bull and cow trade. There is an increase in bulls less than 16 months coming on to the market.
Factories are trying to delay upward movement in base quotes, with average prices of €4.15/kg reported. Smaller numbers are trading at the top of the market for 3c/kg to 5c/kg higher.
Bulls over 16 months and less than 24 months are trading from €4.20/kg to €4.25/kg for U grades and €4.15/kg to €4.20/kg for R grades.
Large lots of O grading bulls continue to command excellent prices relative to top continental bulls, with prices ranging from €3.90/kg to €4.05/kg.
There has been a sharp rise in cows traded through marts in recent months. This is being underpinned by two factors: the ending of pre-movement brucellosis testing encouraging more farmers to show cows in marts and a super trade enticing more farmers with smaller numbers in particular to opt for selling in the ring.
It is clear that agents and those handling larger numbers have greater selling power and this is reflected in a wide price differential.
P+3 grading cows are trading from €3.40/kg to €3.50/kg, while O grading cows are selling from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg and up to €3.65/kg where traded in higher numbers.
P and O grading cows are running up to 10c/kg above the same period in 2017, while R and U grading cows are securing a higher price increase of up to 16c/kg.
R grading cows are trading anywhere from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg in cow-specialist plants, with U grades 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.
Northern trade
The northern trade is solid, with prices edging upwards by about 2p/kg in the last week.
Plants are still trying to open base U-3 quotes at £3.58/kg to £3.60/kg, which is the equivalent of €4.10/kg to €4.12/kg at 87.4p to the euro and €4.32/kg to €4.34/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Regular sellers are securing returns rising to the mid-£3.60s, with the top prices reported edging up to £3.70/kg (€4.46/kg incl VAT).
AHDB price reporting shows R4L British steer prices rising 2p/kg to £3.80/kg (€4.58/kg incl VAT), while heifers remain steady at an R4L price of £3.78/kg (€4.56/kg). R3 bulls meanwhile have strengthened 3p/kg to £3.63/kg (€4.38/kg), while cows are steady at an O grading price of £2.80/kg to £3.00/kg (€3.38/kg to €3.62/kg).
Read more
Beef prices moving in favour of finishers
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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