Factories are working their way through steer and heifer supplies and at the time of going to print are planning on maintaining relatively high throughput levels during the Christmas break.

There are some whispers of possible disruption stemming from the dispute between temporary veterinary inspectors and the Department of Agriculture.

Factories are working their way through steer and heifer supplies which are now moving a little more freely in some plants.

There is no change in price with a top-up that was present for the Christmas trade in previous years absent. Steers are trading at a base of €3.75/kg while heifers remain on a base of €3.85/kg with prices running 10c/kg to 15c/kg behind the corresponding period in 2017.

The prioritisation on steers and heifers means, however, that bull throughput remains a pinch point.

The situation differs between plants but in some instances feeders are facing delays rising to three weeks in the worst-affected cases.

Feeders

Some of these are feeders new to finishing bulls with a number of factories trying to handle bulls from specialist finishers, albeit in smaller numbers.

Others appear to be worse affected with select plants operating a lower bull kill over the Christmas period. Those with bulls coming fit for slaughter are advised to make contact with their factory agent in advance of bulls being ready for slaughter.

Prices here are also unchanged. O grading bulls are moving from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg, with O=/+ grading bulls with a good cover of fat at the higher end of the price range.

R grading bulls are selling from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg on average. U grades are fetching from €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg, with some specialist finishers securing higher.

Cow prices range from €2.60/kg to €2.75/kg for P+3 grading cows while fleshed O grades are averaging €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg.

R grades are moving from €3.00/kg to €3.10/kg, with a 5c/kg swing either side of this range depending on the quality of cows and number on offer. A similar trend is present for U grades, which vary anywhere from €3.15/kg to €3.40/kg.

The Northern trade is unchanged with base U-3 quotes ranging from £3.36/kg to £3.46/kg (€3.73/kg to €3.84/kg at 90.2p to the euro and €3.93/kg to €4.05/kg including VAT at 5.4%) with most cattle moving from £3.40/kg to £3.44/kg (€3.97/kg to €4.05/kg incl VAT).

Christmas schedule

Taking it that processing goes ahead as normal this week, the following should summarise factory working arrangements. The majority of plants are slaughtering cattle on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 December. There are a few exceptions.

Asbourne Meats have now ceased processing and will reopen on 7 January.

Liffey Meats Hacketstown and Ballinasloe plants are not open on these two days. Jennings Ballinrobe are not processing on Thursday 27 December but are open on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 December.

They are joined on Saturday 29 December by Kepak Athleague and Kepak Kilbeggan. Dawn Meadow Meats plant is not processing on Thursday 27 December but are open on Friday 28.

The other day where factories differ on is Monday 31 December. Factories which have confirmed slaughtering for this day include all Dawn meats sites, the three Liffey Meats factories, Kildare Chilling, Foyle Donegal and Kepak Cork. The programme will be updated if any changes occur on www.farmersjournal.ie.