Continuous pressure from factories is slowly dragging beef prices back. A high percentage of steers are now trading at a base of €3.85/kg, with factories very reluctant to negotiate a base of €3.90/kg – the exceptions are sales involving high numbers or to very large suppliers.

While plants are trying to reduce the base price for heifers to €3.95/kg, sellers are having more success in resisting this pressure with a significant volume of sellers still trading at a base of €4.00/kg. While few and far between, there are still a small percentage of cattle moving at a base of €4.02/kg to €4.05/kg. Stronger selling power for heifers is stemming from supplies tightening, with the weekly heifer kill reducing by 312 head to 6,812.

The drop in heifers did not affect the weekly kill, with a marginal rise occurring, lifting from 30,575 head to 31,155 head. The increase stemmed from 320 more stock bulls being processed, while cow throughput rose about 500 head to 6,174. Cow prices remain steady, with plants eager to maintain throughput.

See a full analysis of beef trends in this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.