Beef quotes have kicked on again this week, with a number of factories now scouring the country looking for finished cattle.

Bullocks are now generally working off a €6.50/kg quote.

There are some factories still trying to buy bullocks at €6.40/kg, but they are getting little or no stock at the lower quote.

Heifers have also moved up to a base price of €6.60/kg in most locations. Flat prices have also moved past the €7/kg mark, with €7.40/kg reported to have been paid to get a big load of in-spec Aberdeen Angus heifers across the line this week.

Some of the buoyancy in the trade can be attributed to a man with Connemara connections after Harry Kane helped England knock Mexico out of the World Cup early on Monday morning.

Large World Cup watch parties and gatherings, combined with barbecue weather in the UK, has meant that manufacturing beef sales continue to perform very well and that, coupled with a big drop in supplies over the last two weeks, has meant that factories have been forced to increase quotes again this week in order to secure supplies.

There are reports of some factories having to cancel Monday’s kill on the back of insufficient supplies to start the kill line.

Shed cattle have all but dried up at this stage, with procurement managers now moving to some of the larger finishing farms to get cattle.

Cows

R grading cows are being priced around €6.20/kg to €6.30/kg, with more going to those with numbers.

U grading cows are now being bought at €6.30/kg to €6.50/kg, with higher prices going to regular cow sellers and specialist feeders.

O grading cows are being bought for around €6.10/kg to €6.30/kg. P+3 cows are coming in at €6.00/kg to €6.20/kg.

Some of the specialist cow producers have been able to squeeze a €6.30/kg flat price for mixes of O and P grading dairy cows this week.

Fleshed Friesian cows continue to be in big demand in marts, with factory agents very active hoovering up supplies of anything with flesh in marts.

Bulls

R grading bulls are coming in at €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg, with U grading bulls being quoted at €6.60/kg to €6.70/kg, depending on numbers and type.

O grading bulls are working off an all-in price of €6.20/kg to €6.30/kg, while P grading bulls are being quoted at €6.10/kg to €6.20/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover.

Over-age bulls are generally working off a price of €6.10/kg to €6.30/kg, depending on grades and flesh cover. Under-16-month bulls are working off a €6.30/kg base price on the grid.