Last week’s upward momentum in the beef trade has resulted in average prices rising 5c/kg, with more substantial increases harder to achieve. This means that the majority of cattle traded are now moving at a base of €3.65/kg for steers and €3.75/kg for heifers.
Sellers competing at the higher end of the market and securing these prices last week are negotiating 5c/kg higher or a base of €3.70/kg and €3.80/kg for steers and heifers respectively. There are some reports of higher prices paid to a small number of large-scale finishers, with firm demand present in the northwest in particular.
The small price increase and conclusion to the grazing season on many farms has brought forward higher numbers, as has more cull cows moving direct from the parlour.
Last week’s kill reverted to the throughput of two weeks ago, with 34,380 cattle processed. The increase stemmed from bulls rising close to 400 head and exceeding 3,000 for the first time since July, while cows and heifers increased 1,447 and 1,299 head respectively to reach 8,588 and 8,589.
Reports suggest heifers housed early and starting to appear from sheds were the main contributor to the lift in heifer throughput.
Steady prices
Cow prices remain unchanged, ranging from €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg for P+3 grades and €2.95/kg to €3.15/kg for O grades. Rs are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with Us to €3.40/kg in cow-specialist plants.
The advice on poorly fleshed cows remains the same – enquire about price penalties on poorly fleshed and light-carcase cows before moving, as prices for these types can vary 20c/kg to 30c/kg between plants, dropping as low as €2.00/kg to €2.30/kg for very poor-quality light-carcase P1 cows.
Bulls less than 16 months are also benefiting from improved steer base prices. General quotes are at a base of €3.65/kg, with specialist producers securing a base of €3.70/kg.
This excludes the 12c/kg QPS bonus, with achieving a fat score of 2+ or better the greatest hurdle to cross.
Continental bulls less than 24 months are trading from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg, with U grades from €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg at the higher end of the price range. Friesian bulls are trading from €3.55/kg to €3.65/kg, with the purchasing plant and negotiating power of the seller having a big impact on price.
Firm NI trade
The Northern trade remains robust. Official U3- base quotes for steers and heifers continue to range from £3.38/kg to £3.44/kg. With sterling strengthening to 86p in recent days, this has increased the price equivalence to €4.12/kg to €4.19/kg including VAT.
Supplies in the market are said to have increased, but higher processor demand for the Christmas trade is leaving producers with strong negotiating power. As such, deals continue to be secured 2p/kg to 6p/kg higher, with specialist finishers trading at the top end of the market achieving 8p/kg to 10p/kg above quotes for cattle ticking all processor specification.
The AHDB reports processors continuing to focus on cattle meeting required specification. This is reflected in R4L steer and heifer prices increasing 2p/kg to £3.65/kg to £3.70/kg (equivalent €4.45/kg to €4.51/kg), while prices eased 1p/kg on average. The strengthening sterling is widening the price differential and improving conditions for Irish exports.
Click here to download the factory price tables.
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Northern view: beef trade steady despite numbers
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.
Last week’s upward momentum in the beef trade has resulted in average prices rising 5c/kg, with more substantial increases harder to achieve. This means that the majority of cattle traded are now moving at a base of €3.65/kg for steers and €3.75/kg for heifers.
Sellers competing at the higher end of the market and securing these prices last week are negotiating 5c/kg higher or a base of €3.70/kg and €3.80/kg for steers and heifers respectively. There are some reports of higher prices paid to a small number of large-scale finishers, with firm demand present in the northwest in particular.
The small price increase and conclusion to the grazing season on many farms has brought forward higher numbers, as has more cull cows moving direct from the parlour.
Last week’s kill reverted to the throughput of two weeks ago, with 34,380 cattle processed. The increase stemmed from bulls rising close to 400 head and exceeding 3,000 for the first time since July, while cows and heifers increased 1,447 and 1,299 head respectively to reach 8,588 and 8,589.
Reports suggest heifers housed early and starting to appear from sheds were the main contributor to the lift in heifer throughput.
Steady prices
Cow prices remain unchanged, ranging from €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg for P+3 grades and €2.95/kg to €3.15/kg for O grades. Rs are selling from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with Us to €3.40/kg in cow-specialist plants.
The advice on poorly fleshed cows remains the same – enquire about price penalties on poorly fleshed and light-carcase cows before moving, as prices for these types can vary 20c/kg to 30c/kg between plants, dropping as low as €2.00/kg to €2.30/kg for very poor-quality light-carcase P1 cows.
Bulls less than 16 months are also benefiting from improved steer base prices. General quotes are at a base of €3.65/kg, with specialist producers securing a base of €3.70/kg.
This excludes the 12c/kg QPS bonus, with achieving a fat score of 2+ or better the greatest hurdle to cross.
Continental bulls less than 24 months are trading from €3.70/kg to €3.75/kg, with U grades from €3.80/kg to €3.85/kg at the higher end of the price range. Friesian bulls are trading from €3.55/kg to €3.65/kg, with the purchasing plant and negotiating power of the seller having a big impact on price.
Firm NI trade
The Northern trade remains robust. Official U3- base quotes for steers and heifers continue to range from £3.38/kg to £3.44/kg. With sterling strengthening to 86p in recent days, this has increased the price equivalence to €4.12/kg to €4.19/kg including VAT.
Supplies in the market are said to have increased, but higher processor demand for the Christmas trade is leaving producers with strong negotiating power. As such, deals continue to be secured 2p/kg to 6p/kg higher, with specialist finishers trading at the top end of the market achieving 8p/kg to 10p/kg above quotes for cattle ticking all processor specification.
The AHDB reports processors continuing to focus on cattle meeting required specification. This is reflected in R4L steer and heifer prices increasing 2p/kg to £3.65/kg to £3.70/kg (equivalent €4.45/kg to €4.51/kg), while prices eased 1p/kg on average. The strengthening sterling is widening the price differential and improving conditions for Irish exports.
Click here to download the factory price tables.
![]()
Read more
Northern view: beef trade steady despite numbers
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.
This is a subscriber-only article
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