The general base price secured by farmers in recent days is €3.85/kg for steers and €3.95/kg for heifers, with only small numbers moving below this level.
A higher steer kill of 13,922 is compensating to a degree for tightening supplies of young bulls and lower heifer throughput, with last week’s kill steady at 30,594.
Factory agents are keen to maximise production and with no backlog or flush of cattle coming on to the market, they are having to work hard to secure sales.
Their plight is being affected in some parts of the country by lower performance and finishers delaying moving steers in particular until they are right up on the 30-month age barrier.
This has seen some frequent sellers or those handling large numbers secure a base of €3.90/kg for steers and €4.00/kg for heifers in recent days.
Wholesale buyers are also very active and are adding an extra source of competition for Angus and Hereford stock. Flat-priced deals for O=/+ or better grading heifers range from €3.95/kg to €4.10/kg, with steers selling from €3.90/kg to €4.00/kg. Flat-priced deals for good-quality fleshed O=/+ Friesian bullocks range from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg.
Cows solid
The cow kill has increased from 6,444 to 6,708. Reports suggest rising milk prices may see a repeat of 2015 where dairy farmers milked on for longer, but this will also be influenced by weather in the coming weeks.
Friesian cows are trading from €2.85/kg to €3.00/kg at the higher end of the market for P+3 grading cows, with O grading Friesians to €3.10/kg to €3.15/kg.
Sellers should note cuts for under-fleshed cows and weigh up the mart trade where competition remains high.
O grade suckler cows are trading from €3.10/kg to €3.20/kg, with R grades from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, while U grades are selling to €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg, with a vibrant live trade continuing for heavy U grade cows.
Lowest bull kill
The young bull kill has fallen to just 2,117 head, the lowest for the year to date.
R and U grade bulls continue to trade for €3.80/kg to €3.90/kg respectively. Some specialised finishers have secured 5c/kg higher, excluding producer bonuses.
Producers trading bulls less than 16 months on the grid are also having more success in securing a base of €3.85/kg. The number of Friesian bulls on offer is low, with prices ranging from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg.
Strong Northern trade
The northern trade remains brisk, with tight supplies keeping a strong floor under the trade.
Base quotes for U-3 steers and heifers remain at £3.32/kg to £3.34/kg (equivalent €4.09/kg to €4.11/kg).
The reality is that the trade is stronger than the quotes, with sellers negotiating on price receiving up to £3.40/kg (€4.18/kg), rising 4p/kg to 6p/kg higher for specialised or frequent sellers handling large numbers.
The sterling to euro exchange rate eased slightly yesterday to 85p to the euro.
The AHDB reports depleted stocks and tight supplies leading to strong market conditions in Britain.
R4L steer and heifer prices have exceeded £3.55/kg (€4.37/kg) and are well on the way to hitting £3.60/kg (€4.43/kg) at the top of the market.
The AHDB also reports British calf registrations for the first half of the year increasing by 17,000.
In contrast with Ireland, dairy births continue to fall, with 36,000 extra beef births compensating for dairy births falling 19,000 head.
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
Read more
Northern view: upward momentum continues in trade
The general base price secured by farmers in recent days is €3.85/kg for steers and €3.95/kg for heifers, with only small numbers moving below this level.
A higher steer kill of 13,922 is compensating to a degree for tightening supplies of young bulls and lower heifer throughput, with last week’s kill steady at 30,594.
Factory agents are keen to maximise production and with no backlog or flush of cattle coming on to the market, they are having to work hard to secure sales.
Their plight is being affected in some parts of the country by lower performance and finishers delaying moving steers in particular until they are right up on the 30-month age barrier.
This has seen some frequent sellers or those handling large numbers secure a base of €3.90/kg for steers and €4.00/kg for heifers in recent days.
Wholesale buyers are also very active and are adding an extra source of competition for Angus and Hereford stock. Flat-priced deals for O=/+ or better grading heifers range from €3.95/kg to €4.10/kg, with steers selling from €3.90/kg to €4.00/kg. Flat-priced deals for good-quality fleshed O=/+ Friesian bullocks range from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg.
Cows solid
The cow kill has increased from 6,444 to 6,708. Reports suggest rising milk prices may see a repeat of 2015 where dairy farmers milked on for longer, but this will also be influenced by weather in the coming weeks.
Friesian cows are trading from €2.85/kg to €3.00/kg at the higher end of the market for P+3 grading cows, with O grading Friesians to €3.10/kg to €3.15/kg.
Sellers should note cuts for under-fleshed cows and weigh up the mart trade where competition remains high.
O grade suckler cows are trading from €3.10/kg to €3.20/kg, with R grades from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, while U grades are selling to €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg, with a vibrant live trade continuing for heavy U grade cows.
Lowest bull kill
The young bull kill has fallen to just 2,117 head, the lowest for the year to date.
R and U grade bulls continue to trade for €3.80/kg to €3.90/kg respectively. Some specialised finishers have secured 5c/kg higher, excluding producer bonuses.
Producers trading bulls less than 16 months on the grid are also having more success in securing a base of €3.85/kg. The number of Friesian bulls on offer is low, with prices ranging from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg.
Strong Northern trade
The northern trade remains brisk, with tight supplies keeping a strong floor under the trade.
Base quotes for U-3 steers and heifers remain at £3.32/kg to £3.34/kg (equivalent €4.09/kg to €4.11/kg).
The reality is that the trade is stronger than the quotes, with sellers negotiating on price receiving up to £3.40/kg (€4.18/kg), rising 4p/kg to 6p/kg higher for specialised or frequent sellers handling large numbers.
The sterling to euro exchange rate eased slightly yesterday to 85p to the euro.
The AHDB reports depleted stocks and tight supplies leading to strong market conditions in Britain.
R4L steer and heifer prices have exceeded £3.55/kg (€4.37/kg) and are well on the way to hitting £3.60/kg (€4.43/kg) at the top of the market.
The AHDB also reports British calf registrations for the first half of the year increasing by 17,000.
In contrast with Ireland, dairy births continue to fall, with 36,000 extra beef births compensating for dairy births falling 19,000 head.
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
Read more
Northern view: upward momentum continues in trade
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