After a week of cooling off, there is a change in the air this week in the beef trade, as factories start to make calls again for the friendly chat about what’s coming down the line.

The second half of June appears to be a worry for a few of them, with a number of factories actively seeking supplies to tide over the period between shed cattle ending and grass cattle starting.

The smaller finisher won’t have seen a change in quotes this week, but some of the bigger players are growing in confidence in what bargaining power they have.

Bullocks continue to move off €4.10/kg to €4.15/kg, with the higher quotes going to the bigger finishers, while €4.20/kg on the grid has been paid to a few very large operators to secure cattle.

Heifers continue to move at €4.15/kg to €4.20/kg, with the higher quotes again going to the larger, more regular suppliers.

Flat deals are back on the table, with a number of bigger finishers opting for this type of sale in the last two weeks, especially where plainer cattle are involved.

Deals as high as €4.50/kg to €4.60/kg flat have been paid for Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle.

Bonuses of as high as 25c/kg are being paid for in-spec Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Young bulls

Young under-16-month bulls continue to work off a base of €4.10/kg to €4.15/kg.

Older under-24-month bulls are being quoted €4.15/kg to €4.20/kg for U grades, with €4.10/kg to €4.15/kg being quoted for R grading bulls.

Cow prices steady

Cows are a little steadier after some factories reduced prices last week.

There is a wide divergence in prices around the country, with P+3+ grading cows being quoted as low as €3.30/kg in the south and as high as €3.50/kg in the north.

O grading cows are working off €3.45/kg to €3.60/kg, again depending on what factory you are killing in.

Cows remain a very good trade in marts, with a number of the smaller independent factories very active for good-quality cows in the last week.

R grading suckler cows are still in demand, with €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg being quoted for well-fleshed cows.

Kill figures

Last week’s kill came in at 31,055, up just over 1,100 on last week’s kill of 29,929. Cows were up 413 head for last week and bullocks were up 580 on the week before. The young bull kill dropped just under 200 head last week, down from a high of 3,000 the week before.

Factory agents are reporting that cattle supplies are tight, with nearly all shed cattle gone at this stage and any left will be out of the system in the next two weeks.

With the UK returning to indoor dining this week and Ireland set to return to indoor dining next month, this is positive news for the beef trade.

NI trade

The beef trade is holding firm in Northern Ireland, with no movement on prices paid or base quotes.

The upper end of base quotes for U-3 cattle remains on 378p/kg (€4.63/kg inc VAT), but is well off the pace when compared with price deals on offer.

Farmers selling in-spec steers and heifers report 388p to 392p/kg (€4.76 to €4.80/kg) is widely available, with higher prices limited to regular sellers.

Quotes for R3 cows are on 290p/kg (€3.55/kg), but prices are more typically 320p/kg (€3.92/kg).