The opening up of the border again for southern bred breeding and store cattle to be exported live onto farms breathed a sigh of relief amongst farmers selling stock and mart managers alike.

Bigger numbers of cattle are coming on board in the last few weeks, with many marts yet to peak with spring cattle numbers yet.

With a greater number of buyers from Northern Ireland along the ring, it would be hoped that store cattle prices could hold firm, which would equal good news for sellers and bad news for finishers down this end of the country.

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This hasn’t happened as of yet, and while numbers have creeped up in marts this week and restrictions surrounding exporting have been lifted, store bullocks and heifers have slipped back in price, while somehow heavy bullocks in the 500-600kg bracket and 600kg+ bracket have risen slightly, despite beef prices slipping in factories.

If we were to take an average quality bullock at 670kg selling for €4.02/kg, we come to a price of €2,693.40. Less commission we are looking at a price of roughly €2,660.

If this bullock was to be slaughtered and achieve a kill out of 54%, we would need €7.22/kg in the factory to match the live sale price, a long way off the €6.80-€6.90/kg currently being quoted, showing that the live ring is still the best option for small to medium finishers who haven’t the arguing power with factories.

Reports are still going that finishers are waiting anywhere between two and three weeks in some cases to get cattle killed in factories, making the live option even more tempting for farmers looking to free up space in sheds amid a delayed turnout.

The weanling trade remains very mixed, though both bull and heifer weanlings below 400kg are still holding an average price above €5/kg.

The same week last year, weanling heifers 300-400kg were sitting at €4/kg of an average, after a 10c/kg lift in the week, while bulls were averaging €4.21/kg, jumping 14c/kg. Looking at it from this stand point, we are still in an excellent position with prices.

Cull cow numbers improved slightly this week as well, with prices also seeing a slight increase for better quality cows.

The top third of cows sold this week averaged €3.59/kg, up 11c/kg on last week, with the average across all cows coming to €2.97/kg, up just 1c/kg. The bottom third of cows, comprising mostly of poorer dairy cows sold to an average of €2,40/kg this week past.

Analysis

Looking at the MartBids table this week, heifers above 400kg have seen average prices fall between 10-13c/kg. Top end heifers have seen the heaviest hit, with cuts of 20-31c/kg in the week.

The opposite is the case with bullocks, with lighter stock seeing a slippage in price, while better quality bullocks have recorded the highest increases, with top end bullocks above 600kg up 20c/kg in the week.

In the weanling table, weanling bulls have seen the heavier bulls fall the most, with lots above 450kg falling 22c/kg in the week, while lots 300-400kg falling by 7c/kg.

Heifer weanlings have had a steadier week, with heifers 300-400kg falling by just 1c/kg, while lighter heifers are up 9c/kg and heavier heifers up 3c/kg, with the slippage in average price for mid weight heifers generally attributed to a fall in lesser stock prices.