Store cattle prices up 66% in the last year

The average price paid for some types of store cattle in NI has jumped by as much as 66% over the past 12 months.

Analysis of mart data from the LMC has found that first-quality heifers weighing up to 450kg have seen a 51% price increase, having averaged 470p/kg in the last four weeks, compared to 312p/kg during the same period in 2024.

However, the trade for second-quality heifers in the same weight bracket has risen by more, with the average price up 66% from 236p/kg to 391p/kg.

First-quality heifers weighing over 450kg are up 38% year-on-year to an average price of 389p/kg and second-quality heifers have risen by 42% to 326p/kg.

A similar trend is seen with steers where the prices paid for second-quality stock have increased by more than first-quality lots.

The best steers under 400kg have seen a 39% increase in average price to 478p/kg, with second-quality stock up 47% to 389p/kg.

Steers in the 400-500kg weight bracket are up 61% for first-quality and 62% for second-quality lots to average prices of 474p/kg and 381p/kg respectively.

Heavy stores over 500kg averaged 411p/kg for first-quality stock during the past four weeks, up 48% from this time last year.

Second-quality steers in the same weight bracket are up 59% to 351p/kg.

Finished stock

The huge jump in the store cattle trade in NI has been underpinned by an unprecedented rise in the beef prices paid by local meat factories over the past 12 months.

The latest official figures from the LMC show deadweight prices for finished steers and heifers averaged 649p/kg and 650p/kg last week respectively, which is a 36% increase on this time last year.

A similar trend is seen for finished stock in local marts, with our analysis showing that first-quality finished steers are up 40% over the past year to an average liveweight price of 393p/kg.

The average price of second-quality finished steers in the live ring is up 32% from 241p/kg to 318p/kg.

Cows

Official LMC figures also show that the deadweight price of cows in local meat factories has risen 57% year-on-year to average 511p/kg last week.

Again, the mart trade follows a similar trend with first-quality beef cows averaging 367p/kg liveweight over the past four weeks, a rise of 47% on last year’s levels.

Second quality beef cows are up 60% to 278p/kg, first-quality dairy cows are up 57% to 245p/kg, and the average price of second-quality dairy cows has risen by 55% to 163p/kg.