While mart managers have commented that the trade for good-quality continentals has been strong and prices steady, plainer cattle have been met with weaker demand. Activity for Angus and Hereford cattle from the dairy herd has been stronger in dairy areas of the south and southwest.
While mart managers have commented that the trade for good-quality continentals has been strong and prices steady, plainer cattle have been met with weaker demand.
Activity for Angus and Hereford cattle from the dairy herd has been stronger in dairy areas of the south and southwest.
In the west and northwest, dairy cross stores are a hard sell.
Specialist finishers are actively sourcing numbers, but at slightly lower prices than the same time last year.
Good-quality continental cattle are a strong trade, but price have eased slightly in the past week or so in reaction to a high cattle kill and a slight easing of beef prices.
This, combined with the sheer number on offer, resulted in Martwatch average prices easing for bullocks.
The trade for weanlings continues to be very strong, particularly for Charolais and Limousin types. Plainer weanlings, such as store cattle, are lagging a little in terms of prices.
Listen to a discussion of the mart trade in our podcast below:
Steers
Martwatch figures show that average prices have eased by up to €50/head for heavy bullocks and forward store bullocks.
However, weather issues combined with large sales meant that the quality of steers on offer was not as strong as recent weeks, which has affected prices.
Good-quality continental bullocks have seen prices ease slightly but not to the extent shown in the tables. The average 450kg steer sold for €932/head, similar to last week. Forward store prices are on par with the same time last year (€1,100 for 550kg).
Heifers
Heifer prices have recovered slightly and are now back on par with last year. The average 550kg heifer is making €1,177, with U grades at the same weight making over €1,300. Store heifers from 400kg to 500kg have remained a firm trade, with prices averaging from €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg for R grades and €2.40/kg for U grades.
The average 450kg heifer sold for €954 last week, with dairy crosses and plainer types making €1.80/kg to €2.00/kg.
Weanlings
The weanling trade remains very strong, particularly for good-quality continental bulls and heifers. Those over 300kg remain the best trade, with a little less demand for lighter types.
Much reduced exporter activity for average-quality light bulls and heifers has resulted in prices easing by €20/head to €30/head in the past week.
The average 280kg bull sold for €720, with top-quality bulls making over €3.00/kg or €840 for 280kg. Bulls from 300kg to 400kg have recovered to where they were a few weeks ago.
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