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Last week’s beef kill of 34,647 head recorded a marginal reduction of 627 head. This included 364 fewer young bulls and 44 less aged bulls, while heifer throughput eased by 311 head.
Agents report that young bull throughput is likely to be back further this week, with numbers of under-16-month bulls tightening.
The bull kill is reducing, but at a much slower pace than in 2018, with last week’s kill of 4,400 young bulls and 662 aged bulls running 741 and 127 respectively ahead of the comparable week in 2018.
Total bull throughput for the year to date is 22,530 head higher.
The trade remains depressed, with factories continuing to control throughput closely and prices taking another hit.
The general base quote for under-16-month bulls is €3.50/kg, with some plants with lower activity offering 5c/kg less.
Prices reported for U grade bulls aged over 16 months average €3.50/kg to €3.55/kg, with R grades from €3.45/kg to €3.50/kg.
This excludes bonus payments for those supplying in producer arrangements, with top prices 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.
O grading bulls range anywhere from €3.20/kg to €3.35/kg, with Friesian bulls exceeding 24 months falling back to €3.00/kg and lower in cases.
Steer and heifer throughput is being boosted by cattle finishing quicker off grass.
The general base reported is €3.60/kg for steers and €3.70/kg for heifers.
There are some deals negotiated at the top end of the market at a 5c/kg higher base, but, likewise, there are some plants trying to offer a 5c/kg lower base as the week progresses.
Significant variation remains between cow prices. P+3 grading cows range on average from €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg, while O grades are trading in the main from €2.95/kg to €3.00/kg.
R grading cows are typically trading from €3.00/kg to €3.15/kg, with heavy-carcase cows and young cows securing the higher prices.
The kill is steady, with producers keen to move cows amid an increased risk of mastitis.
There was much talk at this stage last year of the cow kill spiking due to drought, but the kill is only 877 head lower than the corresponding week in 2018.
It is likely that the cow kill will be set at a higher level in the future, with massive expansion in the dairy herd fuelling greater throughput.
Northern trade
There is no change in the trade in Northern Ireland, with producers continuing to face significant delays from booking to slaughter.
Base U-3 steer and heifer quotes are starting at £3.20/kg, which is the equivalent of €3.60/kg at 89.9p to the euro and €3.79/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Many sellers are securing 2p/kg to 4p/kg higher, while prices at the top of the market range from £3.26/kg to £3.28/kg (€3.86/kg to €3.88/kg), with heifers a sharper trade than steers.
The slide in British prices has slowed but still continues. The latest AHDB report shows steers falling by an average of 1.5p/kg last week, with heifers 0.8p/kg lower. This leaves average prices for R4L steers and heifers at £3.39/kg (€3.97/kg).
Young bulls eased 1.8p/kg to an average of £3.23/kg (€3.79/kg) for R3 bulls, with throughput reducing 6.8%. Meanwhile, cows steadied on price in the last week, with O grades ranging from an average of £2.53/kg to £2.66/kg (€2.97/kg to €3.12/kg).
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