The beef kill continues to gradually rise, with last week’s throughput lifting by 785 head to total 34,041. The lift came directly from more cows handled, with the cow kill increasing 741 to 6,960 head.
The only other significant changes were a slight increase of 260 head in heifer throughput (10,191), but this was offset by the bull kill falling 286 head to 5,600. Steer throughput remains constant at 10,860.
While there are differences between plants, a high percentage continue to closely monitor numbers on hand, with cattle needing to be booked for slaughter a few days in advance of moving.
This is also affording plants an opportunity to retain price pressure on the trade.
Quotes are largely unchanged, with steers trading in the main on a base of €3.90/kg and heifers on a base of €4.00/kg.
There are a small number of plants attempting to open negotiations on a lower steer base of €3.85/kg, but reports show sellers so far resisting these lower quotes.
At the other end of the market, sellers with greater negotiating power are securing a base of €3.95/kg for steers and €4.05/kg for heifers.
Similar pressure is being applied to bulls. R and U grading bulls are trading on average for €3.85/kg and €3.95/kg respectively.
There are sellers with small numbers being offered 5c/kg less, while specialist finishers handling high numbers continue to secure 5c/kg higher, with U grades rising to a top price of €4.00/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling in the main on a base of €3.90/kg, with €3.95/kg harder to secure.
The differential between continental and Friesian bulls had narrowed to a small margin of as low as 10c/kg when factory appetite was at its peak pre-Christmas.
This has now widened considerably, with top prices for O grading Friesian bulls ranging from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg.
There is some pressure being inserted on the cow trade, but it has not hit prices, with buyers not willing to risk losing out on cows to competing plants.
This is particularly the case in plants more active in the cow trade, as reflected in the price tables.
P+3 grading cows are trading on average from €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg, with top prices rising 5c/kg to 8c/kg higher.
O grades range from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg, but again there are prices reported up to 10c/kg higher, while R grades range anywhere from €3.50/kg to €3.65/kg, with top prices often quoted as part of a deal with U grading cows.
Northern trade
The northern trade is steady, with reports suggesting a slight increase in the number of cattle on offer.
A high percentage of cattle are being offered a base of £3.52/kg to £3.54/kg, which at Wednesday’s exchange rate of 87.9p to the euro equates to €4.00/kg to €4.03/kg or the equivalent of €4.22/kg to €4.24/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
LMC weekly price information shows the average price paid for U-3 grading steers at £3.64/kg (€4.36/kg), confirming that regular sellers continue to negotiate well above base entry quotes.
The latest AHDB price report shows R4L steers averaging £3.70/kg (€4.44/kg including VAT), with heifers on a similar price.
The highest prices, rising up to 8p/kg higher, continue to be paid in Scotland.
Young bull prices have recovered 2p/kg to 3p/kg after last week’s fall, with R3 grades averaging £3.48/kg (€4.17/kg) this week.
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Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
Beef prices ease as cattle supplies increase
The beef kill continues to gradually rise, with last week’s throughput lifting by 785 head to total 34,041. The lift came directly from more cows handled, with the cow kill increasing 741 to 6,960 head.
The only other significant changes were a slight increase of 260 head in heifer throughput (10,191), but this was offset by the bull kill falling 286 head to 5,600. Steer throughput remains constant at 10,860.
While there are differences between plants, a high percentage continue to closely monitor numbers on hand, with cattle needing to be booked for slaughter a few days in advance of moving.
This is also affording plants an opportunity to retain price pressure on the trade.
Quotes are largely unchanged, with steers trading in the main on a base of €3.90/kg and heifers on a base of €4.00/kg.
There are a small number of plants attempting to open negotiations on a lower steer base of €3.85/kg, but reports show sellers so far resisting these lower quotes.
At the other end of the market, sellers with greater negotiating power are securing a base of €3.95/kg for steers and €4.05/kg for heifers.
Similar pressure is being applied to bulls. R and U grading bulls are trading on average for €3.85/kg and €3.95/kg respectively.
There are sellers with small numbers being offered 5c/kg less, while specialist finishers handling high numbers continue to secure 5c/kg higher, with U grades rising to a top price of €4.00/kg.
Bulls less than 16 months and trading on the grid are selling in the main on a base of €3.90/kg, with €3.95/kg harder to secure.
The differential between continental and Friesian bulls had narrowed to a small margin of as low as 10c/kg when factory appetite was at its peak pre-Christmas.
This has now widened considerably, with top prices for O grading Friesian bulls ranging from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg.
There is some pressure being inserted on the cow trade, but it has not hit prices, with buyers not willing to risk losing out on cows to competing plants.
This is particularly the case in plants more active in the cow trade, as reflected in the price tables.
P+3 grading cows are trading on average from €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg, with top prices rising 5c/kg to 8c/kg higher.
O grades range from €3.35/kg to €3.45/kg, but again there are prices reported up to 10c/kg higher, while R grades range anywhere from €3.50/kg to €3.65/kg, with top prices often quoted as part of a deal with U grading cows.
Northern trade
The northern trade is steady, with reports suggesting a slight increase in the number of cattle on offer.
A high percentage of cattle are being offered a base of £3.52/kg to £3.54/kg, which at Wednesday’s exchange rate of 87.9p to the euro equates to €4.00/kg to €4.03/kg or the equivalent of €4.22/kg to €4.24/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
LMC weekly price information shows the average price paid for U-3 grading steers at £3.64/kg (€4.36/kg), confirming that regular sellers continue to negotiate well above base entry quotes.
The latest AHDB price report shows R4L steers averaging £3.70/kg (€4.44/kg including VAT), with heifers on a similar price.
The highest prices, rising up to 8p/kg higher, continue to be paid in Scotland.
Young bull prices have recovered 2p/kg to 3p/kg after last week’s fall, with R3 grades averaging £3.48/kg (€4.17/kg) this week.
Read more
Download the Irish Farmers Journal news app today and get the latest prices for all grades and all factories through the built-in Livestock Tool.
Beef prices ease as cattle supplies increase
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