The beef and sheep trade continue to meet hugely contrasting fortunes.
The beef trade remains in a weak position, with factory agents continuing to operate cautiously and only pricing cattle for a couple of days ahead. Demand is also at a low level, with cattle due to be slaughtered on Tuesday traded in the main at the end of last week.
Prices for these cattle remain unchanged at a base of €3.40/kg for steers and heifers.
Cattle deemed out of spec on age and carcase weight are faced with an even lower price, with many plants penalising cattle killing over 400kg/420kg carcase weight by 10c/kg, while those exceeding 450kg carcase weight are being cut to the tune of 20c/kg.
In-spec steers and heifers continue to hold priority over young bulls and cows. R and U grading bulls are trading in the main for €3.30/kg and €3.40/kg respectively, with specialist finishers in cases securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher for light-carcase bulls ticking all the factory criteria. O grading bulls range from as low as €3.10/kg for plainer-quality bulls in plants not active in the bull trade to €3.20/kg to €3.25/kg for better-quality types.
Bulls less than 16 months have taken a heavy knock in price on the same period in 2019. These bulls traditionally commanded a similar base price to steers but since last year’s beef factory protests there is typically a 10c/kg differential to the steer base. Furthermore, when the grid was reviewed and the QPS in-spec bonus increased to 20c/kg it did not include young bulls less than 16 months old and traded on the grid. This leaves under-16-month bulls 18c/kg worse off without considering the bleak prices at present, with many specialist finishers said to be reviewing their system of production.
Cows remain at a price range of €2.35/kg to €2.50/kg for P+3 grades, while O grading cows are trading in the main from €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg. R grading cows meanwhile range mainly from €2.60/kg to €2.75/kg, with €2.80/kg being reached at the higher end of the market.
Firm sheep demand
The sheep trade appears to be holding strong over the Easter break. Factory agents have been active over the weekend to source supplies for Tuesday’s kill. Quotes remain at last week’s level, with spring lambs ranging in price from €6.10/kg to €6.35/kg and hoggets averaging from €5.70/kg to as high as €5.90/kg for hoggets delivering optimum carcase weights of 19kg to 23kg.
Kildare Chilling sent out a text to its customers over the weekend and this included a 10c/kg higher quote for spring lambs. These are priced at a base of €6.20/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus to 20kg carcase weight. The factory’s hogget price is a base of €5.60/kg plus 10c/kg QA bonus while ewes are priced at €2.70/kg plus 10c/kg QA to a carcase weight limit of 40kg.
Read more
Map: downward beef price spiral continues
Cattle export firm seeks young beef bulls
Cattle prices: 160 calves sold online at Carnaross Mart
In pictures: grass cattle in demand at Dowra
The beef and sheep trade continue to meet hugely contrasting fortunes.
The beef trade remains in a weak position, with factory agents continuing to operate cautiously and only pricing cattle for a couple of days ahead. Demand is also at a low level, with cattle due to be slaughtered on Tuesday traded in the main at the end of last week.
Prices for these cattle remain unchanged at a base of €3.40/kg for steers and heifers.
Cattle deemed out of spec on age and carcase weight are faced with an even lower price, with many plants penalising cattle killing over 400kg/420kg carcase weight by 10c/kg, while those exceeding 450kg carcase weight are being cut to the tune of 20c/kg.
In-spec steers and heifers continue to hold priority over young bulls and cows. R and U grading bulls are trading in the main for €3.30/kg and €3.40/kg respectively, with specialist finishers in cases securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher for light-carcase bulls ticking all the factory criteria. O grading bulls range from as low as €3.10/kg for plainer-quality bulls in plants not active in the bull trade to €3.20/kg to €3.25/kg for better-quality types.
Bulls less than 16 months have taken a heavy knock in price on the same period in 2019. These bulls traditionally commanded a similar base price to steers but since last year’s beef factory protests there is typically a 10c/kg differential to the steer base. Furthermore, when the grid was reviewed and the QPS in-spec bonus increased to 20c/kg it did not include young bulls less than 16 months old and traded on the grid. This leaves under-16-month bulls 18c/kg worse off without considering the bleak prices at present, with many specialist finishers said to be reviewing their system of production.
Cows remain at a price range of €2.35/kg to €2.50/kg for P+3 grades, while O grading cows are trading in the main from €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg. R grading cows meanwhile range mainly from €2.60/kg to €2.75/kg, with €2.80/kg being reached at the higher end of the market.
Firm sheep demand
The sheep trade appears to be holding strong over the Easter break. Factory agents have been active over the weekend to source supplies for Tuesday’s kill. Quotes remain at last week’s level, with spring lambs ranging in price from €6.10/kg to €6.35/kg and hoggets averaging from €5.70/kg to as high as €5.90/kg for hoggets delivering optimum carcase weights of 19kg to 23kg.
Kildare Chilling sent out a text to its customers over the weekend and this included a 10c/kg higher quote for spring lambs. These are priced at a base of €6.20/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus to 20kg carcase weight. The factory’s hogget price is a base of €5.60/kg plus 10c/kg QA bonus while ewes are priced at €2.70/kg plus 10c/kg QA to a carcase weight limit of 40kg.
Read more
Map: downward beef price spiral continues
Cattle export firm seeks young beef bulls
Cattle prices: 160 calves sold online at Carnaross Mart
In pictures: grass cattle in demand at Dowra
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