Supplies of cattle have been relatively strong for the year to date, but some agents point to early signs of supplies tightening.
They point to increased factory activity and strong demand in recent weeks bringing a percentage of cattle forward, with some forecasting a dip in throughput in the next two to three weeks.
For this week, factory agents have been much more active in recent days. While there are still steers moving at a base of €3.75/kg, numbers trading at this level are reducing fast, with more sellers securing a €3.80/kg base.
Allowances on transport costs or 3c/kg to 5c/kg higher prices have also been reported. Greater activity has had the desired effect for factories of lifting steer throughput last week by 574 head to 12,537.
Heifers throughput also increased by 338 head to 10,005, with base prices holding steady at €3.90/kg. Again, some large-scale finishers or those selling in groups have secured a base of €3.95/kg.
However, the higher steer and heifer kill was cancelled out by the young bull kill reducing 718 to 4,581 head.
Prices are unchanged, with O grading bulls selling from €3.55/kg for plain quality to €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg for better-quality O+/R- grading Friesian bulls.
R and U grades are being quoted a starting price of €3.75/kg and €3.85/kg in most negotiations, but regular sellers are securing 5c/kg higher. Prices paid also, in cases, depend on carcase weight.
Some plants are allowing carcase weights of 450kg or higher where the animals concerned are a small percentage of a larger group, while other plants are imposing a 10c/kg cut for bulls once they exceed 430kg to 450kg carcase weight.
Brisk cow trade
Cow prices have hardened, with the best negotiating power remaining with sellers handling higher numbers and in particular trading with cow specialist plants.
Prices remain variable, with P+3 grades anywhere from €2.90/kg to €3.15/kg, while fleshed O grades are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg, while prices at the top of the market have risen to €3.30/kg.
Likewise, reports show some farmers with one or two cows to sell being offered as low as €3.25/kg to €3.30/kg for R grades, while upper prices of €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg have been paid at the top of the market. U grades are selling from €3.45/kg to €3.60/kg.
There were 603 calves processed two weeks ago and this increased to 907 calves for last week.
There were a few questions about what prices these poorer-quality Jersey and crossbred bull calves are making.
In mart sales, poor-quality Jersey bull calves are ranging from as little as €2 to €5, with some farmers taking a gamble on calves. Prices for better-quality lots are rising to €10 to €30.
Steady NI trade
Northern prices remain unchanged, but some plants are trying to quote below a U-3 base of £3.40/kg for steers and heifers or the equivalent of €4.19/kg at 85.5p to the euro and 5.4% VAT.
The reality is that there are very few cattle trading below a base of £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg (€4.22/kg to €4.27/kg).
Regular sellers continue to extract 4p/kg to 6p/kg higher.
Pressure remains on British prices, with R4L steers and heifers falling just below an average of £3.60/kg (€4.44/kg) for the first time since last autumn, with Scottish prices falling 8p/kg to 10p/kg since the turn of the year.
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.
Supplies of cattle have been relatively strong for the year to date, but some agents point to early signs of supplies tightening.
They point to increased factory activity and strong demand in recent weeks bringing a percentage of cattle forward, with some forecasting a dip in throughput in the next two to three weeks.
For this week, factory agents have been much more active in recent days. While there are still steers moving at a base of €3.75/kg, numbers trading at this level are reducing fast, with more sellers securing a €3.80/kg base.
Allowances on transport costs or 3c/kg to 5c/kg higher prices have also been reported. Greater activity has had the desired effect for factories of lifting steer throughput last week by 574 head to 12,537.
Heifers throughput also increased by 338 head to 10,005, with base prices holding steady at €3.90/kg. Again, some large-scale finishers or those selling in groups have secured a base of €3.95/kg.
However, the higher steer and heifer kill was cancelled out by the young bull kill reducing 718 to 4,581 head.
Prices are unchanged, with O grading bulls selling from €3.55/kg for plain quality to €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg for better-quality O+/R- grading Friesian bulls.
R and U grades are being quoted a starting price of €3.75/kg and €3.85/kg in most negotiations, but regular sellers are securing 5c/kg higher. Prices paid also, in cases, depend on carcase weight.
Some plants are allowing carcase weights of 450kg or higher where the animals concerned are a small percentage of a larger group, while other plants are imposing a 10c/kg cut for bulls once they exceed 430kg to 450kg carcase weight.
Brisk cow trade
Cow prices have hardened, with the best negotiating power remaining with sellers handling higher numbers and in particular trading with cow specialist plants.
Prices remain variable, with P+3 grades anywhere from €2.90/kg to €3.15/kg, while fleshed O grades are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg, while prices at the top of the market have risen to €3.30/kg.
Likewise, reports show some farmers with one or two cows to sell being offered as low as €3.25/kg to €3.30/kg for R grades, while upper prices of €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg have been paid at the top of the market. U grades are selling from €3.45/kg to €3.60/kg.
There were 603 calves processed two weeks ago and this increased to 907 calves for last week.
There were a few questions about what prices these poorer-quality Jersey and crossbred bull calves are making.
In mart sales, poor-quality Jersey bull calves are ranging from as little as €2 to €5, with some farmers taking a gamble on calves. Prices for better-quality lots are rising to €10 to €30.
Steady NI trade
Northern prices remain unchanged, but some plants are trying to quote below a U-3 base of £3.40/kg for steers and heifers or the equivalent of €4.19/kg at 85.5p to the euro and 5.4% VAT.
The reality is that there are very few cattle trading below a base of £3.42/kg to £3.46/kg (€4.22/kg to €4.27/kg).
Regular sellers continue to extract 4p/kg to 6p/kg higher.
Pressure remains on British prices, with R4L steers and heifers falling just below an average of £3.60/kg (€4.44/kg) for the first time since last autumn, with Scottish prices falling 8p/kg to 10p/kg since the turn of the year.
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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