The beef trade remains downbeat with last week’s higher than normal throughput of 37,700 continuing to keep pressure on price.

Base steer and heifer quotes are now unchanged since last October at €3.75/kg and €3.85/kg, respectively.

Delays

Many bull finishers also continue to face delays from booking to slaughter with a range of price penalties also in play for bulls not meeting factory specifications.

Meanwhile, IFA livestock chair Angus Woods says Irish bull beef finishers are being short-changed to the tune of 30c/kg by Irish factories.

“R3 grade young bulls in Ireland are reported at €3.71/kg for the week ending 19 January.

“Compared with young bull prices across the main EU markets, we are way behind,” Woods said.

The IFA is planning to lobby TDs and senators on Wednesday 13 February. IFA president Joe Healy said: “The difficulties in the beef sector are at crisis point due to poor prices, rising costs and reduced direct payments”.