With the national beef kill crossing 30,000 for the first time in two months, factories are trying to pull prices, with a 5c/kg cut possible next week.

IFA national livestock chair Angus Woods is strongly rejecting the notion that there are numbers of cattle about, with very few grass cattle ready. It’s thought contracted cattle and the last of feed lot cattle caused the increase this week.

While there will be extra cattle in the system from later this year, numbers aren’t as high as previously suggested. The 24- to 36-month age category is well down and young bulls plus Angus and Hereford numbers are up, so the cattle kill will be more spread out, reducing the risk of an autumn glut.

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Factories using contract and feedlot cattle to put pressure on price