The prospect of compensation from the £25m coronavirus support package being paid on beef cattle slaughtered by 30 June, saw a surge in factory throughput last week.

The weekly kill hit 9,121 head, the highest since the final week of March, and included 6,727 prime cattle and 2,208 cows. The cow kill was down 159 on the previous week, but still the second highest for the year to date.

Beef prices have steadied this week, with base quotes on 360p/kg for U-3 grading animals with deals of 365p to 375p/kg on offer. Reports suggest that farmers were keen to get cattle killed on Monday and Tuesday of this week (before the end of the month). Those put off to later in the week have asked factory agents to cover that fact that they lost out on £33/head from the coronavirus compensation package.

Price comparison

Meanwhile, factory prices for U3 grades during June have averaged 361.5p/kg for steers and 365.3p/kg for heifers, a rise of 34p/kg from the lows back in April.

On a 380kg steer carcase, the recovery in beef price equates to a £129.

Beef prices

Compared to last year, beef prices paid over the past month are just over 20p/kg ahead. However, current beef prices are still down on June 2018 levels when U3 steers averaged 373.9p/kg, with equivalent heifers at 375.9p/kg.

Over the past five years, U3 steers in June have averaged 353.5p/kg, with heifers averaging 358.6p/kg.

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