With factory agents a little more active for beef cattle, this has led to slightly more activity for well-fleshed bullocks, heifers and cows. While prices have edged up in some areas, it has been only marginal.
With factory agents a little more active for beef cattle, this has led to slightly more activity for well-fleshed bullocks, heifers and cows.
While prices have edged up in some areas, it has been only marginal.
Forward store and store bullocks have remained firm and are selling for €30 to €40/head more than the same time last year.
The main demand is for continentals, with a noticeable shift away by some finishers from Angus and Hereford dairy-crosses.
While prices for these are back by about 10c/kg on last year, demand is still steady for those that will meet the market specification at slaughter.
There have been several in-calf suckler heifer sales in the past week.
In some cases, sheer numbers on offer tested demand and resulted in lower clearance rates.
However, where good-quality heifers and cows were on offer, they attracted strong prices of €1,600 to €1,800 and up to €2,000 for top-quality types.
Steers
Short-keep and factory-fit steers have seen prices rebound to where they were a few weeks ago and those over 600kg are currently making about twice their weight for average-quality lots. This is up about €50 to €60/head on the same week last year.
Forward stores from 500kg to 600kg are selling mainly from €1,050 to €1,250 for R grades and up to €850 along with the weight for top-quality U grades.
Lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg have remained steady, but plainer types and dairy-crosses are still slow to sell.
Heifers
The heifer trade has remained firm.
While good-quality short-keep types have seen prices improve again, store types remain a steady trade, with R grades from 500kg to 600kg making from €1,020 to €1,220, while U grades made from €1,140 to €1,360.
Lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg sold mainly from €830 to €1,040. U grades sold from €940 to €1,180. Light Angus and Hereford-crosses under 400kg remain a hard sell, with most buyers looking for heavier stores.
Weanlings
The trade for weanlings remains firm, with plenty of farmer buyers still active.
Like the store trade, the main demand is for good-quality Charolais and Limousin types, with plainer weanlings continuing to be a variable trade.
The lack of exporter activity is evident in several areas now, with farmers underpinning the trade. Where heavy bulls are on offer, feedlots are active and prices for those over 450kg range mainly from €2.30/kg to €2.45/kg.
Weanling heifer prices are running about €15/head to €20/head behind the equivalent bull.
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