When describing this week’s beef trade, it is very much a case of two sides to the trade. This analogy can be used to describe a number of aspects of the trade.

For a start, there is more activity in the trade for cows and young bulls, with little change in the trade for steers and heifers. Also, the increase in activity hasn’t materialised across all plants, with some processors trying to keep a lid on price.

At the top of the market, cow price has increased to €3.10/kg to €3.15/kg for fleshed O grade cows but there are plants, mainly in the south, still trying to purchase cows at a top price of €3/kg.

A similar scenario is evident for p+3 grading cows with prices ranging from €2.85/kg to €3/kg for heavy carcase cows.

On the continental cow front, prices for R grade cows range from a low of €3.20/kg to a top of €3.40/kg in plants specialising in the cow trade. U grade cows are selling from €3.40/kg to €3.50/kg with heavy carcase U grade cows selling to a top of €3.60/kg. The advice is simple – price around for the best quote before finalising deals.

A similar differential in price has materialised in the bull trade. There has been more competition in the market since the kill fell from a high of in excess of 6,500 head to less than 4,000 head in the last two weeks.

Plants that increased their activity following a collapse in the bull trade continue to drive the market.

This again begs the question whether difficulties in the bull trade were caused by processors looking to get the price of bulls back rather than issues surrounding specifications.

The general run of prices range from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg for R grade bulls, and €3.60/kg to €3.70/kg for U grade bulls.

Deals have also been completed to €3.75/kg for excellent quality U grade bulls with some sellers negotiating a flat price of €3.70/kg for mixed loads comprising mainly U grade bulls and small numbers of R grade bulls. Friesian bulls remain a difficult trade. Prices start at €3.10/kg for O-/= bulls, rising to a top of €3.30/kg for O+/2+ Friesian bulls under 20 months of age. Bulls exceeding 24 months of age or under-fleshed lots are incurring penalties of 30c to 50c/kg.

Sluggish prime demand: Easter promotions are reported to have given a lift to sales of manufacturing beef. Unfortunately, the trade for in-spec steers and heifers has not received a similar lift with a sluggish trade persisting. The general base quotes for steers range from €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg, with heifers trading at a base of €3.95/kg to €4/kg.

There are concerns at farm level, particularly with heifers, about slaughter delays resulting in animals going over-fat and missing out on the in-spec bonus. Flat-price deals for O grade heifers range from €3.85/kg to €4.00/kg and a 5c to 10c/kg premium payable for Angus and Hereford heifers.

The trade for Friesian steers is most difficult in the south of the country where supplies are most abundant. Flat prices deals for O=/+ steers range from €3.65/kg to €3.75/kg, with prices rising by 5c/kg to 10c/kg as you progress into the midlands and north.

Positive signs: There are some signs of more demand entering the trade. Factory agents are more active at the ringside in the last week and are continuing to make enquiries to specialised finishers about forthcoming supplies.

IFA Livestock Committee Chairman Henry Burns said that it is now becoming clearer that factories are having to increase activity to source required numbers.

He said the improvement in weather has provided an option to farmers to let cattle out to grass and that factories have to show commitment to finishers with a price rise if they want them to continue to finish stock and regain some positivity in winter finishing.

Steers:

Cows:

Heifers:

Young bulls: