The peak levels of throughput for autumn sales appear to have passed. Demand is holding well for good-quality cattle and this is serving to add competition to the trade.
Plainer-quality cattle continue to meet sluggish demand, leading to a wider differential in prices paid.
Cattle with more than four movements or likely to kill over-age or overweight can be added into this bracket, with delays in getting these cattle accepted for slaughter also reflected in the mart ring.
The cow trade is hit and miss, with increasing numbers of poor-quality cows significantly reducing average prices paid.
Poor-quality beef-bred cows are starting around the €1/kg mark
Average-quality dairy cows requiring feeding are selling from €0.80/kg to €1.00/kg for younger types, while poor-quality under-fleshed and aged lots weighing 550kg and under are selling back to €0.50/kg to €0.60/kg. Fleshed Friesian cows are trading from €1.05/kg to €1.20/kg.
Poor-quality beef-bred cows are starting around the €1/kg mark, with good feeding types selling to €1.20/kg to €1.30/kg.
Fleshed cows range anywhere from €1.20/kg to €1.50/kg depending on weight and conformation, with a small selection of excellent-quality cows and cow heifers rising to €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg and higher in cases.
Steers
The quality of animals on offer is easing. Prices for Friesian steers start around €1.38/kg to €1.42/kg for plainer quality-types, with good-quality lots ranging from €1.50/kg to €1.55/kg and small numbers exceeding this range.
Spring 2018-born Angus and Hereford steers weighing 400kg to 470kg are selling on average from €1.65/kg to €1.80/kg.
Continental steers range from €1.90/kg to €2.05/kg for lots weighing 580kg upwards, with those from 470kg to 540kg selling from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg, with excellent quality 10c/kg higher.
Heifers
Forward continental-bred store heifers and those on the point of slaughter are selling from €1.90/kg to €2.10/kg on average, with prices 5c/kg to 10c/kg lower for heifers outside spec.
Beef-cross heifers bred from the dairy herd are selling from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg, with higher prices paid for heifers that have a good chance of delivering a decent carcase weighing 270kg upwards and grading O+ or better.
Continental stores weighing 400kg to 480kg and ticking all the boxes on specification are trading from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg on average.
Weanlings
The weanling trade is steady, with best demand for nice-quality R and U grading bulls weighing 270kg to 360kg.
Mart managers report farmers underpinning the trade, with live export buyers quieter in the last week.
Average-quality lots are selling back to €1.90/kg to €2/kg
Prices for quality bulls range on average from €2.30/kg to €2.60/kg with small numbers of excellent-quality lots rising to €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg.
Prices are running on average 10c/kg to 18c/kg behind 2018 levels. Average-quality lots are selling back to €1.90/kg to €2/kg, with O grading types back to €1.50/kg for plain dairy-crosses.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: BPS payments add more energy to the trade
Camera at the Mart: high clearance rate at Castleisland dairy sale
In pictures: Kilkenny Mart suckler clearance averages €1,206/head
Camera at the Mart: sharp trade for Holstein heifers at Ballymena
NI trends: beef prices on the rise; lamb quotes increasing
The peak levels of throughput for autumn sales appear to have passed. Demand is holding well for good-quality cattle and this is serving to add competition to the trade.
Plainer-quality cattle continue to meet sluggish demand, leading to a wider differential in prices paid.
Cattle with more than four movements or likely to kill over-age or overweight can be added into this bracket, with delays in getting these cattle accepted for slaughter also reflected in the mart ring.
The cow trade is hit and miss, with increasing numbers of poor-quality cows significantly reducing average prices paid.
Poor-quality beef-bred cows are starting around the €1/kg mark
Average-quality dairy cows requiring feeding are selling from €0.80/kg to €1.00/kg for younger types, while poor-quality under-fleshed and aged lots weighing 550kg and under are selling back to €0.50/kg to €0.60/kg. Fleshed Friesian cows are trading from €1.05/kg to €1.20/kg.
Poor-quality beef-bred cows are starting around the €1/kg mark, with good feeding types selling to €1.20/kg to €1.30/kg.
Fleshed cows range anywhere from €1.20/kg to €1.50/kg depending on weight and conformation, with a small selection of excellent-quality cows and cow heifers rising to €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg and higher in cases.
Steers
The quality of animals on offer is easing. Prices for Friesian steers start around €1.38/kg to €1.42/kg for plainer quality-types, with good-quality lots ranging from €1.50/kg to €1.55/kg and small numbers exceeding this range.
Spring 2018-born Angus and Hereford steers weighing 400kg to 470kg are selling on average from €1.65/kg to €1.80/kg.
Continental steers range from €1.90/kg to €2.05/kg for lots weighing 580kg upwards, with those from 470kg to 540kg selling from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg, with excellent quality 10c/kg higher.
Heifers
Forward continental-bred store heifers and those on the point of slaughter are selling from €1.90/kg to €2.10/kg on average, with prices 5c/kg to 10c/kg lower for heifers outside spec.
Beef-cross heifers bred from the dairy herd are selling from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg, with higher prices paid for heifers that have a good chance of delivering a decent carcase weighing 270kg upwards and grading O+ or better.
Continental stores weighing 400kg to 480kg and ticking all the boxes on specification are trading from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg on average.
Weanlings
The weanling trade is steady, with best demand for nice-quality R and U grading bulls weighing 270kg to 360kg.
Mart managers report farmers underpinning the trade, with live export buyers quieter in the last week.
Average-quality lots are selling back to €1.90/kg to €2/kg
Prices for quality bulls range on average from €2.30/kg to €2.60/kg with small numbers of excellent-quality lots rising to €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg.
Prices are running on average 10c/kg to 18c/kg behind 2018 levels. Average-quality lots are selling back to €1.90/kg to €2/kg, with O grading types back to €1.50/kg for plain dairy-crosses.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: BPS payments add more energy to the trade
Camera at the Mart: high clearance rate at Castleisland dairy sale
In pictures: Kilkenny Mart suckler clearance averages €1,206/head
Camera at the Mart: sharp trade for Holstein heifers at Ballymena
NI trends: beef prices on the rise; lamb quotes increasing
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