The beef trade appears to have stagnated, with no sign of any significant upward movement in price as we start the week.
Some agents are reporting cattle coming on stream a bit quicker this week, with some farmers currently calving or lambing reacting to the inclement weather and moving stock to make additional room.
Base quotes are unchanged, with a high percentage of steers trading at €3.65/kg, while heifers are trading at a mixed base of €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg.
There is very little variation between plants, with the exception of prices paid in the northwest and in cases for Angus and Hereford stock.
Flat-priced deals reported range from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg, with numbers on offer, carcase weight and conformation all influencing where prices lie within this range.
Bull trade
The bull trade is also unchanged, with U grading bulls typically moving from €3.60/kg to €3.65/kg and R grades 10c/kg lower at a range of €3.50/kg to €3.55/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months of age and trading on the grid are also meeting a 10c/kg variation in the base price offered between and even within plants.
A general quote of €3.55/kg to €3.60/kg, but as low as €3.50/kg, is being offered in a small number of plants with little interest in bulls. O grading bulls range on average from €3.25/kg to €3.40/kg.
Cows
Cows continue to meet firm demand, with agents remaining active in mart sales. Again, there is significant variation in prices paid between plants.
P+3 grading cows average €2.85/kg to €2.90/kg, but 5c/kg higher has been paid to sellers with good negotiating power.
Likewise, O grades range in general from €2.95/kg to €3.00/kg, but there is a 5c/kg swing either side of this range.
R grading cows are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.20/kg, with the best outlet for young well-conformed cows continuing to be the mart trade.
Northern trade
The beef trade in Northern plants is steady, with quotes in most plants commencing at a U-3 base of £3.30/kg to £3.34/kg. This is the equivalent of €3.91/kg to €3.95/kg and €4.06/kg to €4.17/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Top returns including bonus payments are averaging over £3.40/kg (€4.24/kg incl VAT), with heifers running a few p/kg ahead of steers.
Northern agents remain active in southern sales for quality cows and forward stores.
Cow prices in the North start at £2.50/kg to £2.60/kg for O grading Friesians and rise to a top of £2.65/kg to £2.75/kg (€3.30/kg to €3.43/kg incl VAT) for top-quality continental cows.
Read more
Dawn Meats reduces minimum days on final farm for in-spec bonus
Weak EU beef market sees Irish price edge above average
In pictures: flying trade for fleshed and short-keep heifers at Mohill Mart
The beef trade appears to have stagnated, with no sign of any significant upward movement in price as we start the week.
Some agents are reporting cattle coming on stream a bit quicker this week, with some farmers currently calving or lambing reacting to the inclement weather and moving stock to make additional room.
Base quotes are unchanged, with a high percentage of steers trading at €3.65/kg, while heifers are trading at a mixed base of €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg.
There is very little variation between plants, with the exception of prices paid in the northwest and in cases for Angus and Hereford stock.
Flat-priced deals reported range from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg, with numbers on offer, carcase weight and conformation all influencing where prices lie within this range.
Bull trade
The bull trade is also unchanged, with U grading bulls typically moving from €3.60/kg to €3.65/kg and R grades 10c/kg lower at a range of €3.50/kg to €3.55/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months of age and trading on the grid are also meeting a 10c/kg variation in the base price offered between and even within plants.
A general quote of €3.55/kg to €3.60/kg, but as low as €3.50/kg, is being offered in a small number of plants with little interest in bulls. O grading bulls range on average from €3.25/kg to €3.40/kg.
Cows
Cows continue to meet firm demand, with agents remaining active in mart sales. Again, there is significant variation in prices paid between plants.
P+3 grading cows average €2.85/kg to €2.90/kg, but 5c/kg higher has been paid to sellers with good negotiating power.
Likewise, O grades range in general from €2.95/kg to €3.00/kg, but there is a 5c/kg swing either side of this range.
R grading cows are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.20/kg, with the best outlet for young well-conformed cows continuing to be the mart trade.
Northern trade
The beef trade in Northern plants is steady, with quotes in most plants commencing at a U-3 base of £3.30/kg to £3.34/kg. This is the equivalent of €3.91/kg to €3.95/kg and €4.06/kg to €4.17/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Top returns including bonus payments are averaging over £3.40/kg (€4.24/kg incl VAT), with heifers running a few p/kg ahead of steers.
Northern agents remain active in southern sales for quality cows and forward stores.
Cow prices in the North start at £2.50/kg to £2.60/kg for O grading Friesians and rise to a top of £2.65/kg to £2.75/kg (€3.30/kg to €3.43/kg incl VAT) for top-quality continental cows.
Read more
Dawn Meats reduces minimum days on final farm for in-spec bonus
Weak EU beef market sees Irish price edge above average
In pictures: flying trade for fleshed and short-keep heifers at Mohill Mart
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