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Prime cattle prices are down by 25p/kg year on year or £87 on a 350kg carcase, data obtained from the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) shows.
Throughout 2019, prices for U3 cattle averaged 334.7p/kg across steers, heifers and young bulls. That compares to the 359.6p/kg and 360p/kg paid in 2018 and 2017 respectively. However, prices in 2019 are running ahead of the 328.9p/kg average from 2016.
A similar price differential exits on lower grading animals. R3 grading prime cattle averaged 332.8p/kg in 2019, down from 356.9p/kg in 2018 and 356.6p/kg in 2017, while O3’s averaged 321.9p/kg in 2019, compared to 346.1p/kg and 344.4p/kg in the two previous years.
The lower prices mean that a 380kg U3 grade steer averaged £98 less in 2019 than it did in 2018, while a 350kg U3 grade heifer was down £81.
Fat cows averaged 269p/kg for R3 grading animals in 2019, down from 297.2p/kg last year, cutting £98 off the value of a 350kg carcase.
The LMC data also shows that fat lambs processed at local plants averaged 399p/kg this year, down from 438.7p/kg in 2018, but marginally ahead of the 398.2p/kg paid in 2017.
Current prices
With plants closed on Wednesday of this week and a carryover of animals from the Christmas period, base quotes on cattle and lambs are holding steady at local abattoirs.
This keeps U3 grading cattle on base quotes of 324p to 334p/kg with most farmers reporting that 334p/kg is freely available. Deals are being made around 2p to 8p/kg ahead of base quotes.
Lambs remain on a base of 400p/kg payable to 22kg, keeping it in line with the mart trade where factory fit animals are selling from £84 to £90 depending on quality.
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