Beef quotes have cranked up another notch this week, with quotes rising by a further 5c to 10c/kg in most factories.

Factories are under real pressure now to secure finished cattle, with some willing to pay above the odds just to get the cattle into their lairage this week.

Bullocks are working off €5.30/kg to €5.35/kg, with a few €5.40/kg base quotes also knocking around.

Heifers are working off €5.35/kg to €5.40/kg base price this week, but I have heard of €5.50/kg base price being paid for a big load of continental heavy heifers.

This is before the 20c/kg in-spec quality assurance payment is made and also before any club bonuses are paid, which are generally running around 20c/kg as well, depending on the factory you are dealing with.

That means a U- heifer sold through a factory club should be coming into €5.92/kg this week.

Farmers are advised to sell hard, as factories are willing to bend all sorts of rules to get cattle.

Paying for haulage, no weight limits and leniency on residency length are all being thrown into the mix to get cattle.

Cows

Well-fleshed cows are in big demand at the moment, with the manufacturing beef trade continuing on a very strong footing. Quotes are increasing by the day for cows, with huge appetite out there for well-fleshed heavy cows.

O+ suckler cows are generally working off €5.00/kg to €5.10/kg, while O grading dairy cows are being bought at €4.90/kg to €5.00/kg, depending on which factory you are dealing with.

R grading cows are being quoted at €5.20/kg to €5.30/kg and higher money is available where numbers are involved.

P+3 cows are working off €4.70/kg to €4.80/kg, depending on weight, age and flesh cover.

Well-fleshed U grading cows continue to command top prices of €5.40/kg to €5.50/kg and over it for young fleshed heavy cows.

Bulls

Bulls are also in demand, with factories looking for anything to deliver kilogrammes of beef at the moment.

Under-24-month bulls are still working off a €5.60/kg to €5.70/kg base price for U grading bulls.

R grading bulls are coming in at €5.50/kg to €5.60/kg, while O grading bulls are being bought at €5.30/kg to €5.40/kg.

P grading bulls are working off €5.20/kg to €5.30/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover. Under-16-month bulls are generally working off €5.30/kg to €5.40/kg.