There is no significant change in the beef trade, with steers and heifers trading in the main on a base of €3.70/kg and €3.80/kg respectively. There are select deals being completed 5c/kg higher, with some plants more anxious to source steers and heifer throughput running above normal levels.

There are strong signs of steer and heifer throughput starting to tighten in parts of the west and midlands, but this is being compensated for by strong throughput in the east and south.

Throughput is also being boosted by some producers keen to cut losses and clear sheds, with more farmers said to be opting to let forward cattle out to grass rather than retain indoors for finishing later in the summer.

Last week’s throughput increased marginally by 194 head to reach 36,119. This is 3,421 head above the corresponding week in 2018, with year-to-date throughput now running 38,542 higher.

Changes in certain categories are influencing demand. The bull kill is running 1,765 head higher for those processed under 24 months, while throughput of bulls aged over 24 months, at 1,152 head, is the highest for years and reflects ongoing challenges facing farmers in getting bulls deemed out of spec accepted for slaughter.

U grading bulls killing under the desired weight limit are trading from €3.55/kg to €3.65/kg, with bulls deemed overweight (440kg to 480kg-plus) facing cuts of 15c/kg to 30c/kg. The severity of the cuts depend on the purchasing plant, the producer-processor relationship and number of bulls falling outside the desired spec.

R grades range from €3.45/kg to €3.55/kg, while a high percentage of O grades are trading from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, with a 5c/kg shift either side of this price range. Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are averaging at a base of €3.70/kg.

There is more bite in the cow trade, which is being driven by a relatively low kill, with last week’s throughput of 6,658 head 1,031 lower than the corresponding week in 2018.

P+3 grading cows range on average from €2.70/kg to €2.75/kg, with O grade cows selling from €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg.

There is a differential slowly opening up between what different factories are paying to dealers and finishers handling larger numbers.

R grading cows range on average from €3.00/kg to €3.10/kg, but 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher is being secured.

Likewise, U grading cows are tight in number and trading anywhere from €3.20/kg to €3.40/kg, with wholesalers driving the trade for young suckler-bred cows.

British trade

The British trade is steady, with the latest AHDB price report showing no change on the week.

R4L steers are averaging £3.48/kg, which at 86p to the euro equates to €4.05/kg and €4.27/kg including VAT at 5.4%, while heifers are 1p/kg lower.

This leaves average steer prices running 10p/kg (12c/kg) behind prices paid in February 2019 and 25p/kg (29c/kg) behind the corresponding week in 2018.

R4L steers are currently trading at a base of close to £3.40/kg (€4.16/kg incl VAT at 5.4%) in the south of England to £3.50/kg (€4.28/kg incl VAT at 5.4%) in north England and Scotland.

Meanwhile, prices in Northern Ireland are firm, with some quotes strengthening 2p/kg to a U-3 base of £3.32/kg to £3.36/kg (€4.07/kg to €4.11/kg). Regular sellers are securing returns at the higher end of the market and rising to £3.40/kg to £3.44/kg (€4.17/kg to €4.22/kg incl VAT), with heifers meeting the best demand.