There has been gradual upward movement in beef quotes in recent days. The ABP group grabbed all the headlines on Friday with its press release citing its intention to increase prices on Monday.

Any price increase is greatly welcome, but the point should also not be forgotten that the increase was coming from a low base and leaves it on par with many of its competitors, whose prices also edged upwards in recent days.

New base

A high percentage of heifers are this week trading on a base of €3.55/kg. Plants are reluctant to exceed this price range.

Foyle Donegal and Liffey Meats remain out in front, with agents willing to pay a base of €3.60/kg to regular customers or those with higher numbers on hand to secure supplies.

The best demand remains for cattle aged under 30 months and suitable for the Chinese market, with numbers remaining tight.

Steers are trading in the main on a base of €3.50/kg, but, again, there are some deals being completed at a 5c/kg higher quote.

There is more of a focus with steers on carcase weight, with most plants continuing to try to curtail carcase weights to 400kg to 420kg and in cases penalising heavier weights.

This depends on the producer-processor relationship and the age of cattle in question, with leeway in cases to negotiate higher weight limits with under-30-month stock.

Anxious for stock

Factories remain extremely anxious for stock, with another big kill expected this week.

Reports suggest Chinese demand has hoovered up a lot of beef and that wholesale and food service outlets are finding it harder to secure supplies.

The trade to Northern Ireland for this outlet remains firm, with upwards of 300 head of cattle crossing the border on a weekly basis.

The best demand is for R+ and U grading cows, along with top-quality heifers, with agents active in mart sales.

Bull prices are steady but a wider differential is entering the trade

The cow trade is firm, with prices unchanged. P+3 grading cows range anywhere from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg, with O grades from €2.70/kg to €2.85/kg and slightly higher in cases.

R grading cows are averaging around the €3/kg mark, but 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher is being paid in plants specialising in the cow trade.

Demand is variable between plants, with some less active in the cow market concentrating on steers and heifers to fill Christmas orders and putting off cow entries for a week to 10 days.

Bull trade

Bull prices are steady, but a wider differential is entering the trade. R grading bulls are averaging €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg, but 5c/kg less is being offered in a small number of plants with little interest in bulls. Up to €3.50/kg is being paid to specialist finishers.

Likewise, U grading bulls range anywhere from €3.45/kg to a top price of €3.55/kg to €3.60/kg.