Factories remain very hungry for cattle, with almost all factories killing three days this week and some also working on Saturday, such is the demand to fill orders for beef.

Demand is high for slaughter-fit cattle, with all processors very active when it comes to buying next week’s supplies.

The general run of quotes is €4.95/kg for bullocks, with some higher quotes going to lure finishers out with cattle during the holiday period.

Heifers are along the same lines, with lots of factories quoting €4.90/kg, but paying €5.00/kg when pressure is applied.

Higher quotes are also available for those dealing in numbers and regular customers, with a few farmers dealing in bigger numbers able to squeeze €5.15/kg to €5.20/kg base price for continental heifers this week

Flat deals are also a big factor in the trade, with as high as €5.50/kg being paid for in-spec Aberdeen Angus heifers this week. €5.40/kg is also on the table for in spec continental heifers.

Bull trade

The bull trade also remains solid, with €5.15/kg being paid for U grading under-24-month bulls this week in some locations.

R grading bulls are being quoted at €4.95/kg to €5.05/kg, with a little more going to regular suppliers and those with numbers.

O and P grading bulls are trading at 5c/kg to 10c/kg less than this. Under-16-month bulls are generally working off base prices of €4.90/kg to €4.95/kg.

Cow prices

Well-fleshed P+3 cows continue to trade at €3.90/kg to €4.10/kg, depending on weight and quality.

O grading cows are working off €4.20/kg to €4.30/kg depending on the processor, while good R grading cows are coming in at €4.30/kg to €4.40/kg.

U grading cows are being quoted at €4.40/kg to €4.50/kg.

Prices across the water continue to improve, with the AHDB reporting R4L steers coming into 4.97p/kg (€6.03/kg including VAT).

Cattle numbers available for slaughter remain very tight all across the UK, and this tightness in supplies is adding some buoyancy to the Irish trade.

The latest figures from the Department of Agrculture show that the 2023 kill is running 44,044 head behind the 2022 kill up to and including 15 December 2023.

This figure excludes calf slaughtering. There were 30,764 calves slaughtered in 2023, up 2,382 head from the 2022 figure of 28,382 head.

NI comment

Factory prices for prime cattle in Northern Ireland are also ending the year on a high as cattle agents are chasing supplies. Base quotes are up 2p/kg with 454p/kg (€5.56/kg inc VAT) on offer for U-3 grading animals.

However, steers and heifers are moving freely at 474p/kg (€5.81/kg), with regular finishers indicating deals of 480p/kg (€5.88/kg) are on the table with increased regularity, as farmers hold the upper hand when negotiating on price.

Young bulls are making 460p/kg (€5.63/kg) with cows steady on 340p/kg (€4.16/kg) for R3 animals.