The beef trade remains in a very steady position this week, with quotes relatively unchanged from last week. Some factories have tried to talk down the trade over the last few days, but any talk of reduced quotes is being ignored by finishers, with some choosing to hold off cattle if the price isn’t right.
The beef trade remains in a very steady position this week, with quotes relatively unchanged from last week.
Some factories have tried to talk down the trade over the last few days, but any talk of reduced quotes is being ignored by finishers, with some choosing to hold off cattle if the price isn’t right.
Some factories have also reduced their killing days to three for the next few weeks until after Easter, lowering the number of cattle they require.
Bullocks continue to work off base quotes of €7.70/kg to €7.80/kg, with heifers coming in at €7.80/kg to €8.00/kg this week.
There are a number of processors trying to buy bullocks at €7.60/kg, but they are getting very few cattle at the lower quotes.
Higher quotes
As always, higher quotes are available to those with numbers and regular sellers, with as high as €8.30/kg flat price paid to some finishers for cattle last week.
Flat prices for in-spec Aberdeen Angus are coming in at €8.20/kg to €8.30/kg with a number of factories this week, with Angus cattle in big demand for retail markets.
Despite factory agents trying to talk the trade down this week, they remain very active in marts.
A November 2019-born bullock weighing 1,430kg was sold in Dowra Mart, Co Cavan, last Saturday for €5,180.
Cows
Cows continue to trade at very steady prices, with €7.20/kg to €7.25/kg on the table for well-fleshed R grading cows in the south of the country and €7.30/kg where bigger numbers are involved.
U grading cows are up to €7.40/kg to €7.50/kg, with O grading suckler cows making their way up to €7.00/kg to €7.10/kg in some factories.
O grading dairy cows are being quoted at €6.80/kg to €6.90/kg.
P+3 cows are working off €6.50/kg to €6.60/kg, depending on weight, age, flesh and numbers, with €6.70/kg paid to large feeders.
Factories want kilos of beef and whether that comes from cows, bulls, bullocks or heifers, it doesn’t matter at the moment.
Cows continue to make some exceptional money in marts, with factories paying as high as €4/kg and over it for fleshed cows over the weekend.
Well-fleshed Friesian cows are hitting €3/kg and over it, with factory agents hoovering up anything with flesh.
Bulls
Under-24-month bulls are still working off €7.60/kg to €7.80/kg for U grading bulls and higher where larger numbers are involved.
Flat prices as high as €7.90/kg have been paid to some larger suppliers for mixes of U and R grading bulls.
R grading bulls are at €7.40/kg to €7.50/kg, while O grading bulls are being bought at €7.30/kg to €7.40/kg.
Under-16-month bulls are working off €7.40/kg to €7.45/kg on the grid.
Last week’s kill came in at just over 36,000, relatively unchanged from the previous week. The cow kill dropped by over 500 head, with a slight increase in the bullock and heifer kill.
NI comment
A steady flow of cattle continue to make their way across the border to NI for direct slaughter on a weekly basis.
Almost 400 cattle were exported for direct slaughter to NI last week, with the average sitting at 450/week for the last eight weeks.
Base quotes have kicked on in Northern Ireland again this week, with 680p (€8.31/kg incl VAT) now available for U3 animals on the back of big demand for finished cattle.
Deals continue to be done for larger finishers at 684p/kg (€8.35/kg incl VAT) for full loads of bullocks and heifers.
Prices across the water in the UK have also improved. However, sterling moving to 86p/€1 is affecting the gains for Irish exporters.
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