Factory agents are showing more interest in finished cattle this week, as demand moves above supply.

Supplies of finished cattle remain tight, with a notable decrease in the numbers of heavy cattle coming out to marts in the last seven to 10 days.

This had been a rich hunting ground for agents in the last month.

Quotes for bullocks have kicked on to a base price of €6.40/kg, with very few bullocks now being purchased at last week’s base price of €6.30/kg.

Heifers have also move on, with as high as €6.60/kg being paid for heifers this week. In the main, heifers are being bought at €6.50/kg base price, with a few factories still trying to buy heifers at €6.40/kg, but getting very little traction with the lower quote.

There’s a lot more leeway for negotiation this week, with factories willing to weld on an extra 5c to 10c/kg to secure supplies, especially where numbers are involved.

Bulls

Bulls are also a better trade this week, with under-24-month U grading bulls coming in at €6.50/kg to €6.60/kg this week, with R grading bulls being bought at €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg.

Under-16-month bulls are working off a base price of €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg, but numbers are very small.

The cow trade has also firmed up, with €6.40/kg now available for well-fleshed R grading cows.

Up to €6.50/kg was paid for U grading cows this week, with specialist cow finishers on higher quotes.

The mart continues to be the place of choice for many smaller suckler farmers to offload cows, with factory agents going above what is available in factories when buying cows in marts.

O grading cows are working off a quote of €6.20/kg this week, with P+3 cows coming in at €5.90/kg to €6/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover.