Beef prices ease as cattle supplies increase

With increasing supplies of finished cattle coming on to the market and sales of beef slowing, cattle prices are facing some downward pressure.

Processors have cut base quotes by 2p/kg and indicate there could be a further 2p/kg shaved off prices for next week.

This leaves the range of base quotes for U-3 grade cattle on 348p/kg to 350p/kg. As the availability of cattle increases, buying agents are finding it much easier to secure numbers and indications are that most cattle are moving at 352p to 354p/kg.

Farmers with limited numbers on offer are finding it harder to negotiate on price. More regular sellers are managing to secure deals of 360p/kg at the top end of the market

Plants are operating on a five-day week, but delays are building at some plants, with farmers continuing to wait anywhere from one to two weeks to offload cattle.

More regular sellers are managing to move cattle quicker, especially where they have bigger numbers of in-spec cattle for sale or a good supply of cull cows.

While base quotes have eased, the majority of cattle being moved for slaughter this week were sold in the early stages of the previous week at prices of 356p to 365p/kg.

Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers was 351.47p/kg. The average price paid on U3 steers eased slightly to 363.2p/kg, with 363.7p/kg paid on U3 heifers.

In Britain, prices have also eased, with 370p/kg paid on U3 steers in England and 380p to 385p/kg available in Scotland. Heifers are making 4p to 6p/kg above steer prices.

Cows

There is still plenty of demand for cull cows, with quotes for O+3 animals on 280p to 290p, whereas R grade cows are on 300p/kg. The average price paid on R3 cows last week was 307p/kg.

Hogget trade

Quotes for hoggets at meat plants have slipped, with the best quotes at 405p/kg, making a hogget worth £89.10 at the 22kg carcase limit.

In the marts, Kilrea sold 450 hoggets from 362p to 388p/kg, down by 7p/kg on last week.

Massereene sold 1,276 hoggets making from 375p to 398p/kg, down by 5p to 17p/kg on last week.

In Saintfield, 575 hoggets sold from 360p to 375p/kg, down by up to 35p/kg, but only for lighter hoggets.

In Rathfriland, 533 hoggets averaged 372p/kg, down 6p/kg. The top was £95 for 30kg, with £94.50 for 27.5kg.

The fat ewe trade is holding firm, with good top prices on offer. Top price in Newtownstewart was £85 and in Omagh it was £124 for 324 sold. Swatragh was £105/head for a big sale of 500 ewes. In Kilrea, the top was £90 and in Massereene it was £106. In Saintfield, 99 ewes made up to £90/head. Rathfriland sold to £94, with a good run from £80 and upwards.

Store lambs in Ballymena, Monday evening, saw the best pen of 34 Easycare animals make £65.50/head, with the next best at £58. Suffolks made £63 and Texels to £59. The best ewes with twin lambs at foot made £155 to £162; with others at £105 to £125 per outfit. Suffolk in-lamb ewes made £120 and £110.