Last week’s kill gives an impression of a significant rise in throughput, with numbers processed rising 676 head to 35,264. However, the lift stems from 511 more calves being slaughtered, which are presumably Jersey bull calves, with other categories reducing on the previous week.
The heifer kill reduced 468 head to a more normal throughput level of 9,667 head. This has retained more bite in demand for heifers, with the majority still trading on a base of €3.90/kg. A small number of producers trading at the top of the market are securing a 5c/kg premium.
The steer kill in contrast increased 791 head to 11,963 and is allowing factories to keep a tight control of the base price at €3.75/kg.
There are signs in some areas of future supplies beginning to tighten, with large-scale producers securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg to secure sales. Flat-priced deals for O grading steers range in general from €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg, but deals for higher numbers have also been completed in plants most active for underage Friesian steers at the mid- to high-70s.
Less cows
Cow throughput reduced marginally from 7,434 to 7,181 head, with prices unchanged. P+3 grades are selling from €2.90/kg to €3.05/kg on average, with O grades from €3.10/kg to €3.20/kg. Deals are being completed at 5c/kg higher to large-scale finishers. R grades are selling from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, with €3.40/kg paid for young or heavy fleshed cows, with U grades from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg.
Bulls are also unchanged, with R grades from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg and U grades from €3.85/kg to €3.90/kg. This is the price paid for bulls at optimum carcase weights, generally less than 430kg to 450kg, with some plants penalising heavier carcases by 5c/kg to 10c/kg. These cuts are being ignored in other plants, particularly for specialised finishers who are securing 5c/kg higher. Bulls less than 16 months are selling from a base of €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg.
Northern quotes are unchanged at a U-3 steer and heifer base of £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg (€4.27/kg to €4.32/kg incl VAT). Sellers are facing continued difficulties in securing higher prices, with factories tightening top prices at £3.50/kg (€4.37/kg). Cows remain at a range of £2.30/kg for poor-quality O grades to £2.45/kg to £2.50/kg (€3.12/kg) for better-quality fleshed types and £2.60/kg to £2.70/kg for good R grades.
Live exports
Live exports of calves are slowly starting to increase, with 1,197 calves exported for the week ending 12 February.
Spain was the main destination, accounting for 814 calves, with 307 exported live to the Netherlands and 75 to Italy. The exports to Italy have been occurring in recent weeks and, together with 289 weanlings, 66 animals between 12 and 21 months of age and one older animal make up exports of 431 to Italy.
Exports to Northern Ireland were also slightly higher than previous weeks at 454 head. This can be split into 368 (147 male and 221 female) cattle over 21 months, 50 between 12 and 21 months and 35 weanlings. Other exports of note were 64 cattle to Greece (mainly weanlings) and 56 heifers to Romania (mixture of ages).
Exports are predicted to continue to rise in line with increasing calf births, a sharp jump in throughput in marts and export inspection charges reducing from €4.80/calf to €1.20.
See MartWatch for detailed calf prices.
Read more
NI cattle trade remains unchanged at 346p/kg
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.
Last week’s kill gives an impression of a significant rise in throughput, with numbers processed rising 676 head to 35,264. However, the lift stems from 511 more calves being slaughtered, which are presumably Jersey bull calves, with other categories reducing on the previous week.
The heifer kill reduced 468 head to a more normal throughput level of 9,667 head. This has retained more bite in demand for heifers, with the majority still trading on a base of €3.90/kg. A small number of producers trading at the top of the market are securing a 5c/kg premium.
The steer kill in contrast increased 791 head to 11,963 and is allowing factories to keep a tight control of the base price at €3.75/kg.
There are signs in some areas of future supplies beginning to tighten, with large-scale producers securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg to secure sales. Flat-priced deals for O grading steers range in general from €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg, but deals for higher numbers have also been completed in plants most active for underage Friesian steers at the mid- to high-70s.
Less cows
Cow throughput reduced marginally from 7,434 to 7,181 head, with prices unchanged. P+3 grades are selling from €2.90/kg to €3.05/kg on average, with O grades from €3.10/kg to €3.20/kg. Deals are being completed at 5c/kg higher to large-scale finishers. R grades are selling from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, with €3.40/kg paid for young or heavy fleshed cows, with U grades from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg.
Bulls are also unchanged, with R grades from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg and U grades from €3.85/kg to €3.90/kg. This is the price paid for bulls at optimum carcase weights, generally less than 430kg to 450kg, with some plants penalising heavier carcases by 5c/kg to 10c/kg. These cuts are being ignored in other plants, particularly for specialised finishers who are securing 5c/kg higher. Bulls less than 16 months are selling from a base of €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg.
Northern quotes are unchanged at a U-3 steer and heifer base of £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg (€4.27/kg to €4.32/kg incl VAT). Sellers are facing continued difficulties in securing higher prices, with factories tightening top prices at £3.50/kg (€4.37/kg). Cows remain at a range of £2.30/kg for poor-quality O grades to £2.45/kg to £2.50/kg (€3.12/kg) for better-quality fleshed types and £2.60/kg to £2.70/kg for good R grades.
Live exports
Live exports of calves are slowly starting to increase, with 1,197 calves exported for the week ending 12 February.
Spain was the main destination, accounting for 814 calves, with 307 exported live to the Netherlands and 75 to Italy. The exports to Italy have been occurring in recent weeks and, together with 289 weanlings, 66 animals between 12 and 21 months of age and one older animal make up exports of 431 to Italy.
Exports to Northern Ireland were also slightly higher than previous weeks at 454 head. This can be split into 368 (147 male and 221 female) cattle over 21 months, 50 between 12 and 21 months and 35 weanlings. Other exports of note were 64 cattle to Greece (mainly weanlings) and 56 heifers to Romania (mixture of ages).
Exports are predicted to continue to rise in line with increasing calf births, a sharp jump in throughput in marts and export inspection charges reducing from €4.80/calf to €1.20.
See MartWatch for detailed calf prices.
Read more
NI cattle trade remains unchanged at 346p/kg
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.
This is a subscriber-only article
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