Factories are keen to get back to normal processing activity to replenish supplies. Throughput for the early part of this week is by and large sorted but factories have a strong appetite and have been active over the weekend, ringing producers. Agents are trying to maintain prices at last week’s level with the general base quote remaining at €3.80/kg for steers and €3.90/kg for heifers.

There are an increasing number of regular sellers securing a base of €3.85/kg and €3.95/kg respectively, while at the top of the market a base of €4.00/kg is being paid for choice heifers.

The cow kill remains well below normal but quotes are slow to build, running 20c/kg to 30c/kg behind the same period in 2018. P+3 grading cows are being quoted from €2.80/kg to €2.95/kg with O grades anywhere from €2.90/kg to €3.10/kg. Mixed batches have traded in many cases at €3.00/kg. Better conformed cows are trading anywhere from €3.20/kg to €3.40/kg with U grades from €3.25/kg to upwards of €3.50/kg.

Bull prices are creeping upwards but producers with small numbers are struggling to achieve the higher prices being paid to specialist finishers. U grading bulls are selling on average from €3.60/kg to €3.70/kg but 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher is being secured at the top of the market. Likewise R grading bulls are trading anywhere from €3.55/kg to €3.70/kg when traded flat with U grades. O grading bulls, meanwhile, continue to experience a wide price differential with prices ranging from €3.30/kg to €3.50/kg. Again, producers are having more success in avoiding price penalties on bulls that would otherwise be deemed out-of-spec. Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are moving at a base of €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg.