The beef trade has remained relatively stable this week, with good weather injecting a little confidence into sellers, with a few taking a harder line when marketing finished cattle.
Bullocks are generally moving at a base price of €6.60/kg to €6.70/kg, while heifers are working off a base price of €6.70/kg to €6.80/kg.
There are also now very few delays in getting cattle killed, with agents generally active looking for stock this week.
Some factories are still slow to pay breed bonuses, but there is up to 20c/kg available for in-spec Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle.
Cows
R grading cows are being priced at €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg. U grading cows are now being bought at €6.70/kg.
O grading cows are being bought for €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg. P+3 cows are coming in at €6.20/kg to €6.40/kg, with some factories quoting lower for very light cows.
Bulls
R grading bulls are coming in at €6.80/kg to €6.90/kg and U grading bulls are being quoted at €7.00/kg, although bulls are in short supply, with low numbers being killed.
There are a number of operators still able to squeeze €7/kg for mixtures of R and U grading bulls.
O grading bulls are working off an all-in price of €6.50/kg to €6.70/kg, while P grading bulls are being quoted at €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover.
Under-16-month bulls are working off a €6.70/kg base price on the grid.
SHARING OPTIONS