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Last week’s dip in throughput has kept factories on their toes and ensured there is no chance of a drop in demand in the run-in to Christmas.
Agents have been active in recent days in trying to source extra supplies, with a base of €4.10/kg for heifers becoming much more available.
Sellers trading at the higher end of the market are holding out for a base of €4.15/kg, with deals at €4.12/kg and allowances on transport also offered to secure sales.
Steers continue to trade at a range of €3.95/kg to €4.00/kg, with top prices of €4.05/kg paid to regular sellers and those with big numbers on hand.
Factory appetite continues to be driven by strong sales of manufacturing beef, which is inserting more life into the trade for young bulls and cows.
Bulls
R and U grade bulls are trading in general for €4.00/kg and €4.10/kg respectively. Specialist finishers have secured €4.15/kg for U grade bulls in the last week, while mixed lots of R and U grade bulls are selling for €4.05/kg at the higher end of the market.
Friesian bulls are selling from €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg in general, but there are sellers with strong negotiating power and upwards of 70 to 100 bulls commanding up to €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are moving at a base of €3.95/kg to €4.00/kg. This excludes the 12c/kg quality payment scheme (QPS) bonus for in-spec stock.
Cows
Cows are in greater demand, with mart sales reducing in size and frequency.
Prices remain very variable depending on the purchasing plant and number of cows on offer.
P+3 grading cows are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with O grading cows from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg and as high as €3.50/kg when traded in high numbers. R grades are selling from €3.50/kg to €3.60/kg on average, with U grades 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.
The northern trade also remains solid with a tightening in supplies keeping a good floor under the trade.
U-3 base quotes for steers and heifers remain at a range of £3.54/kg to £3.56/kg or the equivalent of €4.02/kg to €4.05/kg at 88p to the euro and €4.24/kg to €4.27/kg when VAT is included at 5.4%. Regular sellers remain in a strong negotiating position, with prices rising to the low- to mid-£3.60s.
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