This was the year that herd expansion, driven by the ending of milk quotas in 2015, resulted in a much higher kill. Numbers to 11 December were up 100,000 head to 1,658,797, which is in addition to the 172,000 cattle exported live up to the end of October.The extra numbers have been comfortably handled by the market, with prices higher in all categories of beef.
This was the year that herd expansion, driven by the ending of milk quotas in 2015, resulted in a much higher kill. Numbers to 11 December were up 100,000 head to 1,658,797, which is in addition to the 172,000 cattle exported live up to the end of October.
The extra numbers have been comfortably handled by the market, with prices higher in all categories of beef.
The ABG on steers was €4.01/kg for the week ending 10 December, compared with €3.78/kg during the same week last year. Prices were also up on heifers at €4.13/kg for the ABG, compared with €3.93/kg last year, and cows had the biggest increase of all, up 35c/kg from €2,91/kg to €3.26/kg.
Ireland is one of the few EU countries with an increased sheep kill in 2017, with 2.7m sheep processed, which is up 10% on the 2.4m in 2016 for the same period. Prices at the beginning of December 2016 were €4.43/kg, compared with €4.67/kg for week ending 2 December 2017.
Cattle prices in the North are slightly higher in sterling value at £3.61/kg for R3 steers (ex-VAT) for week ending 2 December 2017, compared with £3.56/kg for the same week last year. In euro, they are slightly less because of weakening sterling at €4.04/kg this year, compared with €4.09/kg for the same week in 2016, again ex-VAT.
Beef prices have been driven by strong demand for manufacturing beef for mince and burgers, which has offset a weak steak meat market. Exports to Asia, particularly Hong Kong and the Philippines, have surged during 2017.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: