The recent trend of beef prices falling on a weekly basis has finally stopped.
If anything, there is more life in the trade, with factories anxious to maintain high throughput levels.
There are a few plants still opening negotiations, with a base quote of €3.75/kg for steers and €3.85/kg for heifers, but there are very few cattle trading at this level. This is particularly the case outside of the west and northwest.
Some plants are also trying their luck at the lower quote, but are quickly prepared to increase quotes to secure deals.
The majority of steers and heifers are trading on a base of €3.80/kg and €3.90/kg respectively.
A growing number of sellers handling higher numbers and selling regularly have secured a base of €3.85/kg for steers and €3.95/kg for heifers since the start of the week.
Demand for heifers appears to be firm in the east of the country where competition between plants is firm, while there is also strong demand in the southeast, with numbers reported to be a bit tighter than previous weeks.
Last week’s kill increased to 35,633 head, an increase of 797. Steers continue to dominate throughput at 17,136 head, with heifers, cows and young bulls fairly steady as shown in the table to the left.
The kill is running 3,177 head above the corresponding week in 2016, with annual throughput up 61,824 head.
Cow trade
The cow trade has also firmed in places, with plants handling larger numbers of cows active in direct farm sales, while their agents are also active in mart sales. P+3 grading cows are trading from €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg, while O grades are selling on average from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg.
Sellers handling large numbers are securing a 5c/kg premium
R grading cows are selling anywhere from €3.40/kg to €3.55/kg, with U grades even more variable and selling from €3.40/kg to €3.60/kg.
Bulls
Bulls are steady, with R grades in general from €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg, while U grades are selling from €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg.
This excludes bonuses for specialist finishers.
O grading bulls are selling from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg, with €3.85/kg paid at the top of the market where bulls are traded as a small component of better-quality bulls.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling from a base of €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg, with some specialist producers securing a few cent higher.
Northern trade
The northern trade has eased over the week by 2p/kg to 4p/kg.
Many plants are trying to pull base quotes under £3.50/kg, but a high percentage of deals are starting at the low £3.50s, with sellers handling significant numbers ranging from £3.52/kg to £3.56/kg.
Sterling
Sterling took a step in the right direction for exports on Wednesday morning and at 91.5p to the euro is the equivalent of €4.05/kg to €4.10/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Regular sellers continue to secure 2p/kg to 6p/kg above standard quotes, with the top price for heifers reported at £3.60/kg to £3.62/kg (€4.15/kg to €4.17/kg).
Cows have eased by 5p to 8p/kg and in some cases by 10p/kg, with quotes for O and R grading cows from £2.55/kg to £2.70/kg (€2.93/kg to €3.11/kg).
At 439 head, the number of cattle exported to the north for direct slaughter has held over 400 for the last three weeks, with very little difference in total exports in 2017 versus 2016.
The AHDB reports British beef prices reaching their highest level since January 2014 in the last week. The average R4L steer price is reported at £3.87/kg (€4.46/kg), with heifers 2p/kg lower at £3.85/kg (€4.43/kg).
Read More
NI-Britain beef price gap widens
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
The recent trend of beef prices falling on a weekly basis has finally stopped.
If anything, there is more life in the trade, with factories anxious to maintain high throughput levels.
There are a few plants still opening negotiations, with a base quote of €3.75/kg for steers and €3.85/kg for heifers, but there are very few cattle trading at this level. This is particularly the case outside of the west and northwest.
Some plants are also trying their luck at the lower quote, but are quickly prepared to increase quotes to secure deals.
The majority of steers and heifers are trading on a base of €3.80/kg and €3.90/kg respectively.
A growing number of sellers handling higher numbers and selling regularly have secured a base of €3.85/kg for steers and €3.95/kg for heifers since the start of the week.
Demand for heifers appears to be firm in the east of the country where competition between plants is firm, while there is also strong demand in the southeast, with numbers reported to be a bit tighter than previous weeks.
Last week’s kill increased to 35,633 head, an increase of 797. Steers continue to dominate throughput at 17,136 head, with heifers, cows and young bulls fairly steady as shown in the table to the left.
The kill is running 3,177 head above the corresponding week in 2016, with annual throughput up 61,824 head.
Cow trade
The cow trade has also firmed in places, with plants handling larger numbers of cows active in direct farm sales, while their agents are also active in mart sales. P+3 grading cows are trading from €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg, while O grades are selling on average from €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg.
Sellers handling large numbers are securing a 5c/kg premium
R grading cows are selling anywhere from €3.40/kg to €3.55/kg, with U grades even more variable and selling from €3.40/kg to €3.60/kg.
Bulls
Bulls are steady, with R grades in general from €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg, while U grades are selling from €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg.
This excludes bonuses for specialist finishers.
O grading bulls are selling from €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg, with €3.85/kg paid at the top of the market where bulls are traded as a small component of better-quality bulls.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling from a base of €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg, with some specialist producers securing a few cent higher.
Northern trade
The northern trade has eased over the week by 2p/kg to 4p/kg.
Many plants are trying to pull base quotes under £3.50/kg, but a high percentage of deals are starting at the low £3.50s, with sellers handling significant numbers ranging from £3.52/kg to £3.56/kg.
Sterling
Sterling took a step in the right direction for exports on Wednesday morning and at 91.5p to the euro is the equivalent of €4.05/kg to €4.10/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Regular sellers continue to secure 2p/kg to 6p/kg above standard quotes, with the top price for heifers reported at £3.60/kg to £3.62/kg (€4.15/kg to €4.17/kg).
Cows have eased by 5p to 8p/kg and in some cases by 10p/kg, with quotes for O and R grading cows from £2.55/kg to £2.70/kg (€2.93/kg to €3.11/kg).
At 439 head, the number of cattle exported to the north for direct slaughter has held over 400 for the last three weeks, with very little difference in total exports in 2017 versus 2016.
The AHDB reports British beef prices reaching their highest level since January 2014 in the last week. The average R4L steer price is reported at £3.87/kg (€4.46/kg), with heifers 2p/kg lower at £3.85/kg (€4.43/kg).
Read More
NI-Britain beef price gap widens
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
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