The beef trade has started to move, with quotes up across the board on Monday morning.

Foyle Meats in Donegal has been the first to crank it up a gear again this week, with its quote for bullocks killing out between 300kg and 400kg coming in at €5.30/kg, while its quote for heifers killing out at the same weight is coming in at €5.35/kg this week.

That’s a 20c/kg rise in the last two week from the Donegal-based factory and indicates the challenges that factories are facing in sourcing numbers of finished cattle.

General bullock quotes are coming in at €5.10/kg to €5.15/kg, while heifers are moving at €5.15/kg to €5.20/kg this week.

As always, more money is available to those with numbers and those dealing with factories on a regular basis.

Bonuses of as high as 30c/kg for in-spec Aberdeen Angus heifers are available, while 25c/kg is available for Hereford heifers once booked through the Hereford Prime group.

Cows

The cow trade has also seen some improvement, with quotes improving, especially for farmers with larger numbers to sell.

Agents are very active competing in marts again this week for slaughter-fit cows.

O+ suckler cows are generally working off €4.55/kg to €4.65/kg, while O grading dairy cows are being bought at €4.65/kg to €4.75/kg, depending on which factory you are dealing with.

R grading cows are being quoted at €4.85/kg to €4.95/kg and higher money is available where numbers are involved.

P+3 cows are working off €4.40/kg to €4.50/kg, depending on weight, age and flesh cover.

Well-fleshed U grading cows continue to command a top price of €5.00/kg to €5.20/kg and over it for young fleshed heavy cows.

Bulls

Under-24-month bulls are still working off a €5.35/kg to €5.40/kg base price for U grading bulls.

R grading bulls are coming in at €5.20/kg to €5.30/kg, while O grading bulls are being bought at €5.00/kg to €5.15/kg. P grading bulls are working off €5.00/kg, depending on weight and flesh cover.

Under-16-month bulls are generally working off a €5.05/kg to €5.15/kg base.