Irish cattle prices have taken a battering over recent weeks as drought conditions forced farmers to kill cattle at a faster rate than they might have otherwise. Kills have been at 35,000 or higher over the past few weeks compared to 30-32,000 in the same weeks in 2017.

Steers and young bulls

Irish R3 steer prices were reported at €3.82/kg last week which is 28c/kg behind Britain but only marginally behind Spain and Italy. In Spain R3 young bulls were making €3.83/kg while in Italy R3 young bulls were making €3.84/kg. Elsewhere in Ireland’s main Eurozone beef export markets, Irish R3 steer prices were stronger than R3 young bull prices. In France, the average R3 young bull made €3.72/kg and in Germany, the average R3 young bull price was €3.70/kg. Overall EU average young bull price was €3.71/kg.

Heifers

The gap between R3 heifer prices in Ireland and Britain was closer at 16c/kg, but Italy was the dominant heifer market, returning €4.24/kg average for R3 heifers. French R3 heifers were almost on par with Ireland at €3.93/kg compared with €3.94/kg in Ireland, but elsewhere in the Eurozone prices were lower. German R3 heifers were making €3.71/kg while in Spain the R3 heifer price was the same as young bulls at €3.83/kg, just below the EU average EU R3 heifer price which was €3.84/kg.

Cows

Cow slaughterings have made news in recent weeks as drought conditions took hold. This was the case across the EU with the UK showing a big drop in prices over the past couple of weeks. The French cow market which is always strong though behind Ireland for much of this year, has stood up well and O3 cows were making €3.31/kg during the last week of July.

Despite the falls, Irish prices are the best of the rest returning €2.99/kg on O3-grading cows. This is followed by Germany where O3 cows are making €2.95/kg which is just 1c/kg ahead of Britain and the EU average which is €3.94/kg on O3 cows.

Rest of the world

South America continues in the doldrums with Brazilian R3 steer equivalents making just €1.98/kg when converted to Euro. In the USA, steers equivalent to R3 are making €3.38/kg and in Australia the same animal is making the equivalent of €3.05/kg.