Factories continue to scramble for cattle supplies, with agents scouring the country looking for factory-fit cattle. This week’s beef trade rose another 10c/kg driven by tight supplies and insatiable demand for Irish beef in the UK market. Bullocks are starting on a base price of €6.90-€7.00/kg, with heifers starting at €7.00-€7.20/kg.
Factories continue to scramble for cattle supplies, with agents scouring the country looking for factory-fit cattle.
This week’s beef trade rose another 10c/kg driven by tight supplies and insatiable demand for Irish beef in the UK market. Bullocks are starting on a base price of €6.90-€7.00/kg, with heifers starting at €7.00-€7.20/kg.
Huge numbers of cattle are now being bought at flat prices, with €7.50-€7.60/kg now on the table for Aberdeen Angus bullocks and heifers. That is an increase of €1.40-€1.50/kg or €500/hd since the first week in January.
Prices for finished cattle are €600/hd higher than they were 12 months ago. The majority of that price surge, around €400/hd, has occurred in just 10 weeks since the beginning of January.
Mart managers are reporting that cull cow prices have increased €300/hd in the last three weeks, with top quality fleshed cows now hitting €4/kg on a regular basis.
Gearing up
With just four weeks until the Easter holidays, factories are gearing up to meet strong demand for beef in both manufacturing and retail markets abroad in late March and early April.
Such is the current demand, many cattle are being slaughtered two months earlier, having originally been destined for a May/June finish. This points to a tightness in cattle supplies for the foreseeable future.
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