The mart trade remains lively, with sale entries continuing to benefit from lower throughput while buyers were denied access to mart ringsides and now running ahead of normal for the time of year. Demand for cattle has also been boosted by recent rainfall supporting a recovery in grass growth in areas worst-affected by soil moisture deficits.

This is encouraging more buyers back into the market, with greater activity at the ringside and on online bidding platforms. This is helping to keep a strong floor under prices at a time of the year when the trade would also traditionally have eased. This typically resulted from buyers willing to pay less on average for cattle presented that had already achieved a good thrive off grass.

Bullocks weighing 500kg to 600kg are trading on average for €1.91/kg

As prices in the tables show, steers in the 400kg to 500kg and 500kg to 600kg weight brackets have eased by 2c/kg to 5c/kg. Many managers report that this is also stemming from a dilution in the quality of animals offered, with good stores still capable of matching recent weeks’ prices. Bullocks weighing 500kg to 600kg are trading on average for €1.91/kg, with the top third of animals ranging from €2.20/kg to as high as €2.35/kg to €2.40/kg for choice lots.

The trade for slaughter-fit heifers is also benefiting from the dead trade

The trade for bullocks weighing in excess of 600kg is being helped by increased factory agent activity, with prices firming by 2c/kg and ranging in a wide differential from €1.70/kg to €2.10/kg. The trade for slaughter-fit heifers is also benefiting from the dead trade, with northern buyers inserting another layer of competition in to the market.

Heifers weighing in excess of 550kg are trading on average in the region of €2/kg. Good-quality continental heifers are selling on average to €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg, with select heifers securing a premium in the region of anywhere from 5c/kg to 15c/kg higher.

A high percentage of Angus and Hereford heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg are trading from €1.70/kg to €1.90/kg

The trade for Angus heifers continues to benefit from live exporters competing with specialist finishers and factory feedlots. A high percentage of Angus and Hereford heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg are trading from €1.70/kg to €1.90/kg, with top R grading lots in cases selling to €2/kg.

Firm suckler cow trade

Despite the negativity that has surrounded suckler and beef farming in recent months, farmers remain keen for quality outfits.

Cows with young calves at foot are selling on average from €1,200 to €1,500, with outfits containing a well-conformed cow and strong calf at foot seldom appearing but capable of selling to €1,800 to €2,000 for the complete article.

Plainer quality cows including dairy crossbreds or aged lots with average quality calves at foot are selling on average from €1,000 to €1,150, with some outfits possessing cows less than 500kg liveweight struggling to hit the €1,000 mark.

Dry cows in demand

Dry cows remain a really solid trade, with demand strengthening if anything over the last week.

An analysis of prices shows the top third of cows averaging €1.77/kg, with the general range between €1.65/kg and €1.85/kg. U grading types and young cows are capable of attracting greater competition and in cases are pushing prices to €2.00/kg or slightly higher.

Plainer quality types are selling back to €1/kg

Average quality and feeding beef-bred cows range in price from €1.35/kg to €1.50/kg, while good O grading Friesian cows are selling from €1.15/kg to €1.30/kg on average.

Plainer quality types are selling back to €1/kg while small numbers of cows coming straight from the parlour or presented with a very poor cover of flesh are selling from €0.75/kg upwards.