The beef trade continues to hold on to its positive momentum this week, with quotes up another 5c/kg this week.

Bullocks are generally moving at €4.65/kg to €4.70/kg this week, with heifers being quoted at €4.70/kg in a lot of cases, but, once again, quoted price and paid price are two completely different figures this week.

Prices of €4.75/kg and even €4.80/kg are achievable this week.

Factories have the leeway to go 5c to 10c/kg more than what they are quoting, with flexibility also coming in around fat scores and weights.

Flat prices

Flat prices are also coming into vogue, with up to €5.20/kg being paid flat for in-spec Aberdeen Angus heifers this week.

As always, farmers with numbers and regular customers are in the driving seat. With supplies tight and factory agents anxious for stock, the advice is to bargain hard if you have cattle to sell.

Foyle Meats, Donegal, has moved to a base price of €3.80/kg for bullocks this week, as long as they kill out between 300kg and 400kg.

Heifers are working off 5c/kg more, with €3.85/kg on offer on the grid for heifers killing out between 300kg and 400kg deadweight.

Bulls

The bull trade maintains its positive trend, with up to €4.95/kg being paid to a few specialised bull finishers for U grading under-24-month bulls.

R grading bulls are being quoted at €4.80/kg to €4.85/kg, with a little more going to regular suppliers and those with numbers.

O and P grading bulls are trading at 5c to 15c/kg less than this, with fat cover being a big determinant on price for some of the poorer-quality bulls.

Cow prices

The manufacturing trade also remains strong, with good demand for fleshed cows from all factories this week.

Well-fleshed P+3 cows continue to trade at €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg, depending on weight and quality.

O grading cows are working off €4.00/kg to €4.10/kg, while good R grading cows are coming in at €4.30/kg to €4.40/kg.

U grading cows are being quoted as high as €4.45/kg to €4.55/kg in some factories which are anxious for cows.

UK demand

Much of the demand is coming from the UK. Slaughter-fit cattle numbers have dried up across the water and this has meant Irish factories have seen increased orders in recent weeks.

NI factories are also increasing quotes this week on the back of big demand, with up to £4.70/kg (€5.83/kg) being paid this week for bullocks and heifers.

Numbers of cattle moving north for direct slaughter hit their highest number last week, with NI factory agents very active for southern cattle.