Beef quotes remain on a steady footing this week in the run-up to Christmas, with factories still on the hunt for finished cattle supplies. This is the last full week of processing for all factories, with most planning to slaughter cattle on Monday 23 December and Friday 27 December.
Beef quotes remain on a steady footing this week in the run-up to Christmas, with factories still on the hunt for finished cattle supplies.
This is the last full week of processing for all factories, with most planning to slaughter cattle on Monday 23 December and Friday 27 December.
Most are also planning three or four days of slaughtering for the last week of the year.
Quotes are very steady, with €5.50/kg on the table for bullocks and up to €5.60/kg base price being paid for heifers.
There is more leeway in some factories to ticking all the boxes for factory bonus schemes this week.
The latest information from the Bord Bia tracker tool shows the gap between the UK and Irish beef price currently standing at €1.05/kg.
There was hope that this gap would have been narrowed in the run-up to Christmas, but this hasn’t materialised, with a €1/kg-plus gap consistently between the two markets in the last few weeks.
Cows
Well-fleshed cows are in big demand, with the manufacturing beef trade continuing on a very strong footing. This is expected to continue into 2025, as shoppers switch to cheaper cuts at the beginning of the new year.
Quotes are increasing by the day for cows, with huge appetite out there for well-fleshed heavy cows.
O+ suckler cows are generally working off €5.10/kg to €5.20/kg, while O grading dairy cows are being bought at €5.00/kg to €5.05/kg, depending on which factory you are dealing with.
R grading cows are being quoted at €5.25/kg to €5.35/kg and higher money is available where numbers are involved.
P+3 cows are working off €4.80/kg to €4.90/kg, depending on weight, age and flesh.
Well-fleshed U grading cows continue to command top prices of €5.50/kg to €5.60/kg and over for young, fleshed heavy cows.
Bulls
Under-24-month bulls are still working off a €5.70/kg to €5.90/kg base price for U grading bulls and higher where larger numbers are involved. I have heard of a farmer getting €6/kg flat for a big number.
R grading bulls are coming in at €5.60/kg to €5.70/kg, while O grading bulls are being bought at €5.35/kg to €5.45/kg.
P grading bulls are working off €5.25/kg to €5.30/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover.
Under-16-month bulls are generally working off €5.30/kg to €5.40/kg base price before the additional in-spec bonus is applied.
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