Beef quotes continue to move in a positive direction, with base quotes for bullocks hitting €5.90/kg this week and heifers at the €6/kg mark.

Supply still remains an issue for many processors with numbers of finished cattle on the ground low. The challenge for factories is going to get worse before it gets better, with Bord Bia predicting an 8% fall in kill numbers in quarter one of 2025 and a further 7% fall in quarter two.

Large feeders are also feeling the squeeze, with forward store cattle up in price in marts.

Credit

Some marts have moved this week to tighten credit lines, such is the amount of money now involved in buying big numbers of cattle, and this has affected some customers.