There are some signs of a slight weakening in the live cattle trade in recent days. Mart managers have said that while stores have been steady, it is becoming a little more difficult to sell heavy and short-keep types. The main cause for this is the difficulty in many areas in getting the backlog of cattle away.
Having said that, where farmers have gotten cattle slaughtered, mart managers are saying that they are back out buying straight away.
The weanling trade has remained quite strong, but exporter activity has reduced slightly, which is having an impact on prices.
While export activity is starting to wane slightly, farmer demand is increasing once again, which is helping keep the price floor under weanlings.
The cow trade is starting to see larger numbers on offer. However, good grazing conditions and a reasonable milk price is resulting in dairy farmers milking on culls and numbers turning out in marts are still low.
Steers
MartWatch data has shown a slightly increased pressure on all forward store prices. Heavy and short-keep bullocks have been met with the most pressure, and quality on offer has dipped slightly, which helped reduce averages. The average 600kg bullock is selling for €1.76/kg or €1,056/head. Forward stores from 500kg to 600kg are selling from €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg for average-quality types with U grades making over €2.20/kg in some areas. Light stores under 500kg are a firm trade and farmer demand is keeping a floor under prices.
Heifers
Like the bullock trade, heifers have seen a little more price pressure in the past week. Again, this is a combination of increased supply of poorer-quality cattle and demand slightly lower than supply. Although numbers are peaking in the west and midlands, where continentals are on offer here, prices are still quite good, but where larger numbers of plainer cattle are on offer, they are being met with weaker demand and prices. Light stores from 400kg to 500kg are selling mainly from €1.90/kg to €2.00/kg in stronger suckler areas.
Weanlings
Exporters and farmers continue to keep a firm floor under weanling prices across the country. The average weanling bull is making €2.28/kg, similar to last week but lagging 9c/kg or nearly €30/head behind the same week last year. The equivalent heifer is an easier trade, with prices averaging €2.02/kg or €2.12/kg in suckler areas. Quality is still the main factor affecting prices, with the top third making €2.40/kg to €2.50/kg for heifers and to over €2.70/kg for bulls.
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Camera at the Mart: strong farmer and exporter demand for bulls at Carrigallen
Camera at the Mart: strong trade for quality stores at Headford
Camera at the Mart: steady store trade at Killmallock
Camera at the Mart: improved weanling trade at Kilrea
NI trends: prices steady as beef kill rises
There are some signs of a slight weakening in the live cattle trade in recent days. Mart managers have said that while stores have been steady, it is becoming a little more difficult to sell heavy and short-keep types. The main cause for this is the difficulty in many areas in getting the backlog of cattle away.
Having said that, where farmers have gotten cattle slaughtered, mart managers are saying that they are back out buying straight away.
The weanling trade has remained quite strong, but exporter activity has reduced slightly, which is having an impact on prices.
While export activity is starting to wane slightly, farmer demand is increasing once again, which is helping keep the price floor under weanlings.
The cow trade is starting to see larger numbers on offer. However, good grazing conditions and a reasonable milk price is resulting in dairy farmers milking on culls and numbers turning out in marts are still low.
Steers
MartWatch data has shown a slightly increased pressure on all forward store prices. Heavy and short-keep bullocks have been met with the most pressure, and quality on offer has dipped slightly, which helped reduce averages. The average 600kg bullock is selling for €1.76/kg or €1,056/head. Forward stores from 500kg to 600kg are selling from €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg for average-quality types with U grades making over €2.20/kg in some areas. Light stores under 500kg are a firm trade and farmer demand is keeping a floor under prices.
Heifers
Like the bullock trade, heifers have seen a little more price pressure in the past week. Again, this is a combination of increased supply of poorer-quality cattle and demand slightly lower than supply. Although numbers are peaking in the west and midlands, where continentals are on offer here, prices are still quite good, but where larger numbers of plainer cattle are on offer, they are being met with weaker demand and prices. Light stores from 400kg to 500kg are selling mainly from €1.90/kg to €2.00/kg in stronger suckler areas.
Weanlings
Exporters and farmers continue to keep a firm floor under weanling prices across the country. The average weanling bull is making €2.28/kg, similar to last week but lagging 9c/kg or nearly €30/head behind the same week last year. The equivalent heifer is an easier trade, with prices averaging €2.02/kg or €2.12/kg in suckler areas. Quality is still the main factor affecting prices, with the top third making €2.40/kg to €2.50/kg for heifers and to over €2.70/kg for bulls.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: strong farmer and exporter demand for bulls at Carrigallen
Camera at the Mart: strong trade for quality stores at Headford
Camera at the Mart: steady store trade at Killmallock
Camera at the Mart: improved weanling trade at Kilrea
NI trends: prices steady as beef kill rises
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