The beef trade is slowly gaining upward momentum, with factory agents working at a faster pace to secure supplies.
Agents are still trying to keep a lid on price, but with producers sensing a greater opportunity, there are more reports of cattle moving at higher than normal base prices.
Significant delays from booking to slaughter are also being done away, with plants anxious to keep throughput at as high a level as possible.
Steers
The general base price paid for steers is €3.80/kg, with heifers moving 10c/kg higher at a base of €3.90/kg.
Deals at the top of the market are being completed 5c/kg above this, with numbers on offer or coming on stream over the next month having a big bearing on the price negotiated.
Bulls
Upward movement is also been seen in the bull and cow trade.
U grading bulls are trading in the main from €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg, but, again, sellers with more negotiating power are securing returns of €3.75/kg with greater ease.
R grades are trading from €3.55/kg to €3.65/kg, with scope to do deals where batches contain a higher percentage of U grading bulls.
Weight limits are also being relaxed, with this used as an enticement in cases to try to close deals.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling on a base of €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg.
Cows
The lower number of bulls in the market has strengthened demand for manufacturing beef and is injecting much more life into the cow trade.
However, this is not occurring everywhere and, as such, there is a wider differential in prices paid.
P+3 grading cows are selling from €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg on average, but up to €3.00/kg has been paid when traded with O and R grading lots.
O grades are trading anywhere from €2.90/kg to €3.10/kg, with a high percentage of R grades selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg.
The number of U grading cows in the market remains low, with prices ranging from €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg at the bottom of the market to as high as €3.50/kg in plants most active in the cow trade.
The mart trade is a good option for producers with small numbers struggling to negotiate with factories.
British trade
The trade in the North and across the water continues to gradually move upwards with another 2p/kg to 4p/kg average lift on the cards.
Many northern plants continue to quote a U-3 base quote of £3.32/kg to £3.36/kg, which is the equivalent of €4.05/kg to €4.09/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
However, many sellers are easily pushing returns into the £3.40/kg bracket, with top returns approaching €3.50/kg (€4.26/kg) or higher where bonus payments are included.
Read more
‘Farmers fed up of empty politician promises’ – IFA
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The beef trade is slowly gaining upward momentum, with factory agents working at a faster pace to secure supplies.
Agents are still trying to keep a lid on price, but with producers sensing a greater opportunity, there are more reports of cattle moving at higher than normal base prices.
Significant delays from booking to slaughter are also being done away, with plants anxious to keep throughput at as high a level as possible.
Steers
The general base price paid for steers is €3.80/kg, with heifers moving 10c/kg higher at a base of €3.90/kg.
Deals at the top of the market are being completed 5c/kg above this, with numbers on offer or coming on stream over the next month having a big bearing on the price negotiated.
Bulls
Upward movement is also been seen in the bull and cow trade.
U grading bulls are trading in the main from €3.65/kg to €3.70/kg, but, again, sellers with more negotiating power are securing returns of €3.75/kg with greater ease.
R grades are trading from €3.55/kg to €3.65/kg, with scope to do deals where batches contain a higher percentage of U grading bulls.
Weight limits are also being relaxed, with this used as an enticement in cases to try to close deals.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling on a base of €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg.
Cows
The lower number of bulls in the market has strengthened demand for manufacturing beef and is injecting much more life into the cow trade.
However, this is not occurring everywhere and, as such, there is a wider differential in prices paid.
P+3 grading cows are selling from €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg on average, but up to €3.00/kg has been paid when traded with O and R grading lots.
O grades are trading anywhere from €2.90/kg to €3.10/kg, with a high percentage of R grades selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg.
The number of U grading cows in the market remains low, with prices ranging from €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg at the bottom of the market to as high as €3.50/kg in plants most active in the cow trade.
The mart trade is a good option for producers with small numbers struggling to negotiate with factories.
British trade
The trade in the North and across the water continues to gradually move upwards with another 2p/kg to 4p/kg average lift on the cards.
Many northern plants continue to quote a U-3 base quote of £3.32/kg to £3.36/kg, which is the equivalent of €4.05/kg to €4.09/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
However, many sellers are easily pushing returns into the £3.40/kg bracket, with top returns approaching €3.50/kg (€4.26/kg) or higher where bonus payments are included.
Read more
‘Farmers fed up of empty politician promises’ – IFA
In Pictures: flying trade for light weanling heifers in Balla
Newford update: 190 bales saved before downturn in weather
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