The third week in September is usually a turning point for beef prices.

Once processors get past the National Ploughing Championships, they generally consider it an opportune time to ease things back.

This year was different. There was no Ploughing in 2020 and the traditional price pull has also fallen by the wayside.

This week’s quotes remain similar to last week’s, with €3.60/kg to €3.65/kg being quoted by most processors for steers and heifers.

After a drop of 1,200 cattle last week, this week’s kill dropped a further 1,259 head to 33,573 head.

Weather is having an impact, with farmers with finished cattle in no panic to sell, turning instead to field work while the weather lasts.

Factories are anxious for stock but are still reluctant to increase quotes to get them. Some COVID-based disruptions are taking place, with some boning halls operating at reduced capacity. Most processors have been able to manage supplies in alternative locations, with very little disruptions to farmers killing cattle.

Heifers

Most factories are working off a €3.65/kg base for heifers. Bullocks are being quoted €0.05/kg less at €3.60/kg but deals are being done at €3.65/kg where top-quality bullocks and heifers are involved. There is still good appetite in the trade for Hereford and Angus stock to fill retail orders and bonuses of between €0.10/kg and €0.20/kg are being paid on top of the in-spec bonus of €0.20/kg.

Bulls

Bulls are a similar trade this week, with under-16-month bulls trading off €3.50-€3.60/kg on the grid. Older R grading bulls are at €3.50-€3.55/kg, with U grades coming in on average €0.10/kg higher at €3.60-€3.65/kg. Lesser-grading bulls are generally trading €3.40-€3.50/kg.

Cows

There’s still good appetite for cows in the market, with P+3 cows trading at €3.00-€3.05/kg. O grading cows are generally moving at €3.05-€3.10/kg, with good-quality R and U grading cows trading for as high as €3.30-€3.40/kg in some plants depending on numbers and quality.

Exports to NI for direct slaughter rose again last week to 593 head, up from 540 the week before.

This was made up of 325 bullocks and bulls and 215 cows and heifers. Northern customers are still active around mart rings purchasing cattle for further feeding. The big drop in last week’s kill came from steers and heifers, with 884 fewer steers killed and 399 fewer heifer killed compared with the previous week.

IFA livestock chair Brendan Golden said: “Numbers are tight and factories are looking for cattle. Farmers need to do the figures before putting in cattle for winter finishing. It’s not acceptable to ask winter finishers to take 100% of the risk given the uncertainties that exist down the road”

NI trends

There is little change to the beef trade in Northern Ireland this week, with plants leaving quotes unchanged for U-3 grading animals on 358p/kg (€4.10/kg inc VAT).

Prime cattle are moving from 360p to 362p/kg (€4.13/kg to €4.16/kg) for less regular sellers. Farmers with larger numbers on offer are securing 365p to 370p/kg (€4.19 to €4.25/kg) for in-spec animals.

Cull cows are also steady with base quotes for R3 grading cows on 280p/kg (€3.21/kg), although deals of up to 300p/kg (€3.44/kg) are on offer for good quality animals.