The beef trade has taken another bounce this week, with demand reported to be firm and supplies still very tight. Taking a look at last week’s official Department of Agriculture prices printed in the Irish Farmers Journal, they show increases for both steers and heifers for the week ending 27 June.

The average base grades (ABG) system is the average of the base grades on the EUROP pricing grid. Each week, factories are ranked based on the average of the reported prices paid for the QPS base grades in the particular week of trading (i.e animals grading R= and R- on conformation and from 2+ to 4= on fat score). Prices include the 12c/kg and 20c/kg bonus in spec quality assurance paid on eligible animals and/or any other bonuses.

Factories that are killing large proportions of Aberdeen Angus or Hereford progeny will come in higher where bonuses are being paid as part of the price. Some factories use the ABG system to purchase cattle off of larger suppliers. A full breakdown of prices paid for all grades of cattle is available each week at www.farmersjournal.ie.

Prices across the water also improved for the week ending 27 June, with AHDB, the Bord Bia equivalent in Britain, reporting R4L steers increasing in price by €4.99/kg including VAT for last week. All finished animals saw an increase in price last week, with cows seeing the biggest lift. O4L cows were trading at €3.78 including VAT last week.

Steers increased by 4.7c/kg last week, up from 440.3 c/kg the previous week. Foyle Donegal comes in top of the pile this week for bullocks with an ABG of 455.4c/kg, while Dunleavy Meats Mayo comes in at the bottom on 425c/kg, just over 30c/kg behind the top factory this week.

Heifers increased by 3.7c/kg to 445.6c/kg for last week, up from 441.9c/kg the previous week. Jennings Ballinrobe comes in top of the pile for heifers this week, with an ABG of 455.6c/kg, while Dunleavy Meats Mayo comes in at the bottom on 430.3c/kg.