Beef factories continue to try to tighten their grip on the trade with varying level of success up and down the country.

A number have indicated a move back to €5.20/kg for bullocks and €5.25/kg for heifers, but when push comes to shove, almost all have the ability to go to €5.30/kg for heifers and €5.25/kg for bullocks.

They are hooking a few weak sellers at the lower quotes, with the PR machine in full flight at the end of last week trying to talk prices down.

Numbers of finished cattle are still very tight on farms, with factory agents still camped in marts trying to secure numbers for a next-day kill in many cases.

Leeway

Agents have leeway to still buy cattle at higher quotes, especially where there are numbers involved. It’s the oldest trick in the book to try to flush out cattle.

It obviously makes sense to kill cattle when they are fit, but don’t let an agent take advantage and buy them undervalued.

Flat prices of as high as €5.60/kg are also still being paid to secure Aberdeen Angus heifers.

Young bulls

The top price in the young bull market is €5.50/kg for U grading bulls, with €5.30/kg to €5.40/kg on the table for well-fleshed R grading bulls.

P and O grading bulls are being bought at €5.10/kg to €5.20/kg.

Under-16-month bulls are being bought at €5.25/kg to €5.30/kg base price on the grid.

Cows

P+3 cows are working off €4.55/kg to €4.65/kg, with O grading cows coming in at €4.70/kg to €4.80/kg. R grading cows are generally being quoted at €4.80/kg to €4.90/kg, with U grading cows now moving to €5.10/kg to €5.20/kg.

The Irish Limousin Cattle Society has a scheme in place with Ashbourne Meats in Roscrea for pedigree Limousin cows, where the current U grade price is €5.15/kg, with a 10c/kg bonus paid on cows that present with a pedigree certificate on the day of slaughter.

There are lots of deals on the table to get good cows, with R grading cows being bought at U grading prices in some instances.

Taking a look at the Bord Bia beef market tracker, the Irish price has crept above the EU/UK composite price.

However, European and UK beef markets remain very solid, with good demand on the back of tight supplies meaning no changes in this week’s trading.