The level of processing predicted for Thursday and Friday varies greatly, depending on location.
Some plants in the east where heavy snowfall fell on Tuesday night and Wednesday had already cancelled processing from Wednesday afternoon onwards at time of going to print.
Others located in areas receiving a light covering or no snow as of Wednesday afternoon were paying close attention to the weather forecast and holding out on making a decision.
The advice is to check with your factory agent before attempting to move stock.
The trade for steers and heifers can be best described at stagnant over the last week.
Factories increased activity on Monday and Tuesday in a bid to offset disruptions caused by forecast heavy snowfall.
However, there was no change in price, with some sellers also happy to move animals on high concentrate diets before the change in weather hit.
This left the majority of steers trading on a base of €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg, while there are a small number of producers handling higher numbers and possessing greater negotiating power securing a base of €4.00/kg. There is also no change in the trade for heifers, with base prices ranging from €4.00/kg to €4.05/kg.
Throughput of young bulls continues to tighten and is creating some price movement.
The general price for U grading bulls is €4.00/kg, but there are some plants willing to increase prices paid to regular suppliers to €4.05/kg.
Likewise, there are more sellers securing €3.95/kg for R grades, with prices back to €3.90/kg for smaller numbers.
O grading bulls are trading anywhere from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg, with quality and numbers offered again having a big influence on price.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are moving at a base of €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg.
The general run of prices for cows remains at €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg for P+3 grades, €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg for fleshed O grades and €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg for R grades.
Solid demand exists for heavy R and U grading cows, with agents particularly active in marts, while top factory prices are rising to €3.70/kg.
Northern trade
Base quotes remain unchanged. A high percentage of steers and heifers are trading at a U-3 base price of £3.52/kg to £3.54/kg, which equates to €4.00/kg to €4.02/kg at 88p to the euro or €4.22/kg to €4.24/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Sellers trading at the top of the market are securing £3.56/kg to £3.58/kg (€4.29/kg incl VAT).
O3 grading cows are selling on average for £2.80/kg (€3.35/kg incl VAT) with plainer-quality cows 10p/kg to 15p/kg lower, while the best-quality beef cows are rising to £3.00/kg to £3.10/kg (€3.59/kg to €3.72/kg).
British prices remain unchanged, ranging from a high of £3.75/kg (€4.49/kg incl VAT) for R4L cattle in Scotland and reducing to £3.65/kg as you progress south (€4.37/kg).
Live exports rising
Exporters have increased purchasing activity for calves in line with an increase in numbers offered.
The latest Department records for the week ending 18 February shows 5,633 calves exported.
This included 3,075 to the Netherlands, 2,368 to Spain and 190 to Italy.
Going on reports from live exporters, this figure is likely to have increased significantly in the last week.
Read more
Prime cattle steady but deals on offer for cows in NI
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool
The level of processing predicted for Thursday and Friday varies greatly, depending on location.
Some plants in the east where heavy snowfall fell on Tuesday night and Wednesday had already cancelled processing from Wednesday afternoon onwards at time of going to print.
Others located in areas receiving a light covering or no snow as of Wednesday afternoon were paying close attention to the weather forecast and holding out on making a decision.
The advice is to check with your factory agent before attempting to move stock.
The trade for steers and heifers can be best described at stagnant over the last week.
Factories increased activity on Monday and Tuesday in a bid to offset disruptions caused by forecast heavy snowfall.
However, there was no change in price, with some sellers also happy to move animals on high concentrate diets before the change in weather hit.
This left the majority of steers trading on a base of €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg, while there are a small number of producers handling higher numbers and possessing greater negotiating power securing a base of €4.00/kg. There is also no change in the trade for heifers, with base prices ranging from €4.00/kg to €4.05/kg.
Throughput of young bulls continues to tighten and is creating some price movement.
The general price for U grading bulls is €4.00/kg, but there are some plants willing to increase prices paid to regular suppliers to €4.05/kg.
Likewise, there are more sellers securing €3.95/kg for R grades, with prices back to €3.90/kg for smaller numbers.
O grading bulls are trading anywhere from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg, with quality and numbers offered again having a big influence on price.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are moving at a base of €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg.
The general run of prices for cows remains at €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg for P+3 grades, €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg for fleshed O grades and €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg for R grades.
Solid demand exists for heavy R and U grading cows, with agents particularly active in marts, while top factory prices are rising to €3.70/kg.
Northern trade
Base quotes remain unchanged. A high percentage of steers and heifers are trading at a U-3 base price of £3.52/kg to £3.54/kg, which equates to €4.00/kg to €4.02/kg at 88p to the euro or €4.22/kg to €4.24/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Sellers trading at the top of the market are securing £3.56/kg to £3.58/kg (€4.29/kg incl VAT).
O3 grading cows are selling on average for £2.80/kg (€3.35/kg incl VAT) with plainer-quality cows 10p/kg to 15p/kg lower, while the best-quality beef cows are rising to £3.00/kg to £3.10/kg (€3.59/kg to €3.72/kg).
British prices remain unchanged, ranging from a high of £3.75/kg (€4.49/kg incl VAT) for R4L cattle in Scotland and reducing to £3.65/kg as you progress south (€4.37/kg).
Live exports rising
Exporters have increased purchasing activity for calves in line with an increase in numbers offered.
The latest Department records for the week ending 18 February shows 5,633 calves exported.
This included 3,075 to the Netherlands, 2,368 to Spain and 190 to Italy.
Going on reports from live exporters, this figure is likely to have increased significantly in the last week.
Read more
Prime cattle steady but deals on offer for cows in NI
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool
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