The beef trade remains static, with a high percentage of this week’s kill already booked in for slaughter.

Factory focus remains on steers and heifers, with producers looking to get young bulls and cows killed before the Christmas break or between then and the new year facing an uphill challenge.

Variation

This week’s processing activity varies between plants.

Some are operating at a lower capacity all week, some are reducing the kill towards the weekend, while others are operating a limited kill on Saturday.

Sellers who would normally have targeted having cattle available over the Christmas period are also facing more competition from finishers looking to move stock.

Prices unchanged

Prices are unchanged, with steers trading on a base of €3.75/kg, while heifers are moving at a 10c/kg higher base of €3.85/kg.

Looking back at the corresponding week in 2017, the steer base is running 10c/kg lower, while heifers are running 10c/kg to 13c/kg behind.

There is a much bigger variation in cow prices, which are running anywhere from 45c/kg to 55c/kg behind the corresponding period in 2017.

P+3 grading cows currently range from €2.60/kg to €2.75/kg, while O grading cows are averaging around the €2.80/kg mark. There is a 10c/kg variance either side of this range.

Starting prices for R grading cows range from €2.90/kg to €3.00/kg, while up to €3.10/kg to €3.15/kg has been paid for heavy well-fleshed cows.

Meanwhile, U grades are small in number, trading from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg.

As mentioned already, producers looking to get bulls booked in for slaughter are facing a lead-in time now ranging anywhere from one to three weeks, with fewer processing days.

O grading bulls are being quoted a price of €3.50/kg to €3.60, while R grades are trading from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg and U grades 10c/kg higher.

This excludes producer bonuses paid to those supplying through a contractual basis or on a regular basis.

Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are being offered a base price of €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg, with fat cover and carcase weight continuing to have a significant effect on prices paid.