The mart trade for bullocks and bulls has gotten a little tougher in the past week.
Mart managers have said that the reduced demand from export buyers is noticeable and is having a direct impact on prices.
While some exporters are still actively buying cattle, a greater proportion of the bull sales are now being bought by farmer buyers once again.
With beef prices poor, this is impacting on bull prices, particularly heavy bulls over 400kg, which are being described as a difficult trade in many areas. That said, there are still specialist finishers sourcing these for further feeding, albeit at a price.
Forward store bullocks are sluggish to sell at marts and this is a direct knock-on effect stemming from the inability of the majority of small farmer finishers, who are making very slow headway getting cattle slaughtered off grass.
Further frustrating for farmers is the fact that factories are focused on sourcing in-spec stock, shifting low numbers of heavy cattle close to 30 months of age.
Steers
Bullock prices have eased. Heavy bullocks over 600kg are selling for €1.70/kg, back by 20c/kg or €120/head on the same week last year. Forward stores over 500kg are selling for €1.80/kg for average-quality lots, with average bullocks in suckler areas falling shy of €2.00/kg. Where Friesians are on offer, they are selling mainly from €1.30/kg to €1.50/kg. Light stores from 400kg to 500kg have seen prices drop by up to 22c/kg or €100/head on last year. The top third of stores in that weight range have been met with the greatest fall in prices.
Heifers
In contrast, the heifer trade is outperforming the bullock trade. Heifers over 500kg are selling at similar prices to last week, with the average making €1.84/kg. In some special sales, there are heifers making over €2.00/kg. Stores from 400kg to 500kg are a steady trade, with most selling from €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg. Average prices are running 28c/kg or €125/head behind last year, with the top third in terms of quality running further behind. Where heifers with breeding potential are on offer, prices of €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg are common.
Weanlings
The average price paid for a weanling bull in the past seven days dropped by 6c/kg or €18 to €24/head compared with the previous week. The top third of bulls from 300kg to 400kg saw prices fall by up to €40/head in the same period. When compared with the same time last year, the average 350kg bull is running just 4c/kg behind 2018 levels. Light weanling bulls from 200kg to 300kg have seen prices fall by up to 15c/kg in the past week, due mainly to weaker exporter demand and large numbers available.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: farmers the main buyers at Dungarvan weanling sale
Camera at the Mart: strong heifer demand but bull prices back on last week
Camera at the Mart: feeders and farmers underpin weanling trade at Kilcullen
Camera at the Mart: terrific trade for weanlings at Markethill Mart
NI trends: cattle kill hits a 10-year high
The mart trade for bullocks and bulls has gotten a little tougher in the past week.
Mart managers have said that the reduced demand from export buyers is noticeable and is having a direct impact on prices.
While some exporters are still actively buying cattle, a greater proportion of the bull sales are now being bought by farmer buyers once again.
With beef prices poor, this is impacting on bull prices, particularly heavy bulls over 400kg, which are being described as a difficult trade in many areas. That said, there are still specialist finishers sourcing these for further feeding, albeit at a price.
Forward store bullocks are sluggish to sell at marts and this is a direct knock-on effect stemming from the inability of the majority of small farmer finishers, who are making very slow headway getting cattle slaughtered off grass.
Further frustrating for farmers is the fact that factories are focused on sourcing in-spec stock, shifting low numbers of heavy cattle close to 30 months of age.
Steers
Bullock prices have eased. Heavy bullocks over 600kg are selling for €1.70/kg, back by 20c/kg or €120/head on the same week last year. Forward stores over 500kg are selling for €1.80/kg for average-quality lots, with average bullocks in suckler areas falling shy of €2.00/kg. Where Friesians are on offer, they are selling mainly from €1.30/kg to €1.50/kg. Light stores from 400kg to 500kg have seen prices drop by up to 22c/kg or €100/head on last year. The top third of stores in that weight range have been met with the greatest fall in prices.
Heifers
In contrast, the heifer trade is outperforming the bullock trade. Heifers over 500kg are selling at similar prices to last week, with the average making €1.84/kg. In some special sales, there are heifers making over €2.00/kg. Stores from 400kg to 500kg are a steady trade, with most selling from €1.80/kg to €1.90/kg. Average prices are running 28c/kg or €125/head behind last year, with the top third in terms of quality running further behind. Where heifers with breeding potential are on offer, prices of €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg are common.
Weanlings
The average price paid for a weanling bull in the past seven days dropped by 6c/kg or €18 to €24/head compared with the previous week. The top third of bulls from 300kg to 400kg saw prices fall by up to €40/head in the same period. When compared with the same time last year, the average 350kg bull is running just 4c/kg behind 2018 levels. Light weanling bulls from 200kg to 300kg have seen prices fall by up to 15c/kg in the past week, due mainly to weaker exporter demand and large numbers available.
Read more
Camera at the Mart: farmers the main buyers at Dungarvan weanling sale
Camera at the Mart: strong heifer demand but bull prices back on last week
Camera at the Mart: feeders and farmers underpin weanling trade at Kilcullen
Camera at the Mart: terrific trade for weanlings at Markethill Mart
NI trends: cattle kill hits a 10-year high
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: