The beef kill continues to defy expectations, with last week’s throughput rising 477 head to 38,248.

This occurred despite steer throughout falling 723 head to 17,519.

Cow throughput increased 403 head to 8,143, bringing the cumulative increase in the last two weeks to 1,390 head.

Young bull throughput increased 400 head to 2,659, while heifer throughput rose 318 to reach 9,178.

Prices are largely unchanged, with steers trading in the main on a base of €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg.

Reports show that a greater number of steers have traded at a base of €3.75/kg in recent days, with lower numbers adding a bit more competition in some areas, while certain factories with greater processing capacity have been keen to maximise throughput to make up for disruption to normal service earlier in the week.

At the top of the market, small numbers are selling for a base of €3.80/kg.

Heifers are also trading on a split base price of €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg, with small numbers again selling for 3c/kg to 5c/kg more at the higher end of the market.

Bull numbers are following a seasonal increase as some finishers begin to move higher numbers to free up shed space in an 18- to 20-month production system.

Prices range on average from €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg for R grades and €3.90/kg to €3.95/kg for U grades.

Regular sellers remain in the best selling position, which also tallies for O grading Friesian bulls which range in price from €3.60/kg to €3.75/kg.

P+3 grading cows are selling from €3.05/kg at the lower end of the market to €3.15/kg to €3.20/kg.

Fleshed O grades are averaging €3.25/kg to €3.35/kg, with R grades from €3.30/kg to €3.50/kg and even higher where trading from large suppliers. Likewise, U grades are selling anywhere from €3.45/kg to €3.60/kg and over.

Easier British prices

The British beef trade has eased below £3.80/kg for R4L heifers or the equivalent of €4.49/kg at an exchange rate of 89.2p to the euro.

Northern prices are holding steady, with the U-3 base quote ranging from £3.48/kg to £3.54/kg, with sellers trading at the top end of the market securing 2p/kg higher.

Northern throughput eased last week following two large weekly kills, with many farmers forced to move cattle or house.

Last week’s prime cattle kill reduced 157 head to 6,861, while the cow and aged bull kill reduced from 2,499 to 2,405.

Cow prices are holding steady, with O grades ranging from £2.60/kg to £2.80/kg on average (€3.07/kg to €3.25/kg).

Exports

Meanwhile, the latest Department of Agriculture figures for the week ending 7 October show a total of 4,584 cattle exported live, with 2,857 of these exported to Turkey as part of the latest consignment of young bulls.

Exports to Italy are performing well at present, with 470 exported, while there was 633 to Northern Ireland, 223 to Spain and 119 to Britain.

Exports for the year to date at 164,482 head are running 46.7% or 52,326 above last year’s levels.

This can be broken down into 20,580 weanlings, 11,282 higher than the same period in 2016, while stores have increased 8,201 to 21,179 head.

Calves achieved the largest increase, rising 28,384 to 100,332, while the smallest increase has been in finished animals which have increased 4,459 to 22,391 head.

The recent lift in exports to Italy has been helped by an improvement in beef prices.

The latest Bord Bia price report for week ending 7 October shows R3 young bulls selling for €4.17/kg excluding VAT, with U3 bulls at €4.37/kg.

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