With factories trying to get a handle on the beef trade over the last fortnight with quotes being pulled by 5c/kg to 10c/kg, it looks like it may be starting to have a small effect on trade ringside.

However, it could as easily be down to the fact that many farmers are still securing silage crops or have cut in the past fortnight and, with regrowth very slow, are holding off returning to the market just yet.

Whatever the cause, this week has seen bullock prices ease by 6c/kg to 8c/kg across the board, while heifer prices, which had managed to avoid any price reduction last week, have slipped by 10c/kg over the last seven days.

However, speaking to mart managers, the overall mood remains positive ringside and where quality lots are on show, there is still huge demand to secure numbers.

Reductions

While the majority of weight categories have seen a reduction in price, the extent of this price ease is definitely more prominent for poorer-quality stock, with those in the bottom third for price easing on average by 4c/kg more than those in the top third.

I have heard that flat-price deals, which have been freely available over the last few months, are becoming that bit harder to secure, which will have more of an effect on dairy and dairy beef-type stock.

It may explain the shift in price for heavy bullocks over 600kg this week. The top third averaged €3.11/kg - back just 1c/kg on last week - while the price for the average-quality animal was back 8c/kg to €2.92/kg. However, the bottom third eased by 15c/kg to €2.44/kg.

Throughput in marts remains strong for the time of year, running 38% above the same week last year. In saying this, the seasonal decline continues, with 13% fewer animals traded through marts this week compared with the previous seven days.

Weanlings

Having dropped 10c/kg last week, bull weanlings have more than recovered this week, up 16c/kg on average across most weight bands, while only those in the 450kg-plus weight category saw a price reduction. However, numbers in this weight bracket are currently very small.

It means the average price of a 300kg to 400kg bull weanling sits at €3.04/kg, with the top third averaging €3.46/kg.

Weanling heifers in the same weight band averaged €2.89/kg this week, back 6c/kg on the previous seven days.

However, the top of the trade remains firm at an average price of €3.31/kg.

Again, it is the bottom of the trade that has seen the biggest price shift, down 9c/kg to an average price of €2.50/kg.

Cull cows

Any talk of factory price reductions for cull cows is having minimal effect on well-fleshed and good-conformation cows, with the average still sitting at €2.30/kg and the top third of the trade a massive €2.75/kg, back just 3c/kg on last week.

Where it is starting to have an effect is on poorer-conformed cows and dairy stock, with the bottom third of cows 15c/kg easier this week at an average price of €1.72/kg.