Factories have been working hard over the last week to take control of the trade and try to ease prices back.
Factories have been working hard over the last week to take control of the trade and try to ease prices back.
Prices for steers and heifers have reduced in a high percentage of negotiations by 5c/kg, with most cattle now trading on a base of €4.00/kg for steers and €4.10/kg for heifers. There are still some deals reported 5c/kg higher, but these are largely confined to specialist finishers handling very large numbers.
Attempts to ease cow prices have been hindered by lower numbers on offer and plants competing strongly to maximise the volume of manufacturing beef on hand.
Last week’s cow kill was 4,649 head from a total kill of 30,233. There is a price differential of up to 20c/kg between similar grade cows depending on the purchasing plant and numbers offered. P+3 grading cows are trading from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg on average but prices as high as €3.40/kg have been paid to specialist finishers. Fleshed O grades range on average from €3.35/kg to €3.40/kg but up to €3.50/kg has been paid.
R grades are selling anywhere from €3.50/kg to €3.65/kg with plants most active for top-quality heavy-carcase cows paying €3.60/kg to €3.70/kg for top-quality R and U grades.
Demand for young bulls is solid, with plants also trying to take 5c/kg off prices paid. Last week’s kill totalled 5,173, which is typical for this time of year when specialist finishers are trading high numbers. The top U grade price of €4.15/kg has been harder to secure, but some plants are offering €4.10/kg for U grades and €4.05/kg for R grades as a sweetener to secure deals. Sellers with small numbers are being offered 5c/kg lower. Friesian bulls continue to sell well relative to continental bulls.
O+ grading bulls are trading in large numbers from €3.85/kg to €3.95/kg, with prices for smaller numbers traded and plainer quality bulls falling back to €3.75/kg to €3.80/kg.
Northern trade
A similar situation is evident in the North, with plants trying to drop prices by 2p/kg to 4p/kg. Base U-3 quotes range mainly from £3.50/kg to £3.52/kg, which is the equivalent of €3.95/kg to €3.97/kg or €4.16/kg to €4.18/kg including VAT at 5.4%.
Some sellers handling smaller numbers have been delayed in booking in cattle but at the same time plants are utilising specialist finishers with big numbers to underpin throughput. Prices reported range from £3.60/kg to £3.62/kg (€4.27/kg to €4.30/kg incl VAT) with the highest prices reported rising to the mid to high £3.60s.
Cow prices are steady, with entry prices for O grading Friesian cows ranging from £2.70/kg to £2.80/kg (€3.21/kg to €3.33/kg incl VAT). Better quality and heavier carcase weight continental cows range from £2.80/kg to £2.90/kg (€3.33/kg to €3.45/kg), with the highest quality lots and R grades selling to £3.00/kg (€3.56/kg incl VAT).
British beef prices have eased by 1p/kg to 2p/kg on average over the last week to 10 days. R4L steer prices range from just under £3.70/kg (€4.40/kg incl VAT) in the south of England to a top of £3.80/kg (€4.52/kg) in Scotland.
Heifer prices follow a similar trend while cows are benefiting from greater demand. O- grading cows are starting at £2.60/kg (€3.09/kg incl VAT) and rising to £2.80/kg for O+ grading cows.
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Read more
Northern Ireland: price deals on offer for larger suppliers
Mart trade: prices up slightly for better quality types
Cull cow trade firm backed by solid factory trade
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