The beef trade has finally showed some sign of stability, with most processors paying the same prices this week as they were paying last week.

This follows on from a number of weeks of cuts, with base prices for bullocks falling from €7.05/kg at the beginning of 2026 to €6.20/kg this week, a drop of 85 cent/kg or €340/head on a 400kg carcase.

This week’s base quotes range from €6.20/kg to €6.30/kg for bullocks, with heifers working off a base range of €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg.

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There are a number of processors trying to quote less, with quotes as low as €6.10/kg being talked about in some locations.

Quoted base prices and paid prices are two different things.

Once pressure is applied, agents are moving to last week’s quotes, with farmers advised to sell hard as supplies of cattle available for slaughter are a little tighter the last seven days.

There is an anticipation that this will tighten even further over the next few weeks. This is welcome news to finishers who are trying to cut losses at this stage on autumn/winter purchases of forward store cattle.

Flat prices

Aberdeen Angus cattle are working off a flat price where it can be got of €6.45-€6.55/kg.

Breed bonuses, where available, are still in the range of 5c to 20c/kg depending on the breed. A lot of factories are now tying the breed bonus into their own factory sustainability scheme.

Cows

R grading cows are being priced at €6.00/kg to €6.10/kg, with more going to those with numbers.

U grading cows are now being bought at €6.10/kg to €6.20/kg, with higher prices going to regular cow sellers and specialist feeders.

O grading cows are being bought for around €5.90/kg. P+3 cows are coming in at €5.70/kg to €5.80/kg, with some factories quoting lower for very light cows.

Bulls

R grading bulls are coming in at €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg, with U grading bulls being quoted at €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg.

O grading bulls are working off an all-in price of €6.10/kg to €6.30/kg, while P grading bulls are being quoted at €6.00/kg to €6.20/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover.

Over-age bulls are generally working off a price of €6.00/kg to €6.20/kg, depending on grades and flesh cover.

Under 16-month bulls are working off a €6.20/kg to €6.30/kg base price on the grid.

Last week’s kill

Last week’s kill came in at just under 30,000 head excluding calves, and this is the first time this year that the kill has fallen below 30,000 head.

There was a slight increase in the number of heifers killed, with an extra 500 bullocks also killed last week.

The biggest drop came in the cow category, with just over 800 less cows killed last week compared to the week before.

Last week’s kill was up about 1,500 head up on the same week in 2025, with the total kill year to date coming in at just over 75,000 behind 2025.

IFA Livestock chair Declan Hanrahan said “Tightening of supplies in this market has steadied UK and NI beef prices considerably, with only very marginal declines in beef price in recent weeks.”

Bord Bia

“We are continually told by Bord Bia about the need for standards and ever higher standards to maintain markets.

"Yet as soon as the first wave of southern hemisphere beef entered the UK market, we were left high and dry with our standards as beef from Brazil, New Zealand and Australia took our place,” Hanrahan said.

He added: “Bord Bia were quick out of the blocks claiming credit for the increased export value of beef last year when we hit record prices, but that is in the past.

“What we need now is our food marketing agency to step up with a significant promotional campaign that will win back customers and drive volume sales in key, high-value markets.”