Prices at marts continue to move in the right direction for fed cattle, as the supply continues to drop.

Tight numbers and eager factory agents means the mart continues to be the place to go for sellers of stock fit to kill.

While heifers dropped slightly on the week for better-quality lots, it must be noted that this was from an incredible high.

If we look at the steers of 600kg-plus, these have increased by 7c to 10c/kg on the week to be on par with fed heifers.

These prices are a massive 35c/kg higher than the same week last year, the equivalent of over €200 per head on 600kg animals.

This comparison is perhaps not a true reflection of the market, given the 2020 average is from a much smaller data set as marts closed their doors due to COVID-19.

At current prices, an average heifer or steer of 600kg killing out at 55% needs to be receiving a price of €4.09/kg at the factory to be on the same level as marts

A more realistic figure is when compared with the month of March average for 2020, which stood at around €2/kg.

Here, we see prices are still up in the region of 25c/kg or €150 per head on the year.

Such is the demand that currently the average mart prices for the bottom third of cattle sold is on par with the overall average last year.

At current prices, an average heifer or steer of 600kg killing out at 55% needs to be receiving a price of €4.09/kg at the factory to be on the same level as marts.

If we take the top third of heifers and bullocks weighing 600kg-plus, average marts price is €2.45/kg.

Equivalent

At this average, the price sellers are receiving at factories needs to be €4.45/kg to be on par with mart prices.

These high prices continue to feed back into the short-keep cattle types, which again saw increases of 5c to 8c/kg on the week.

Even the price for the bottom third of lots sold rose by 3c to 7c/kg for short-keep stock, meaning the average is hovering around and above €2/kg

The top third of heifers weighing between 500kg and 600kg sold for an average price of €2.51/kg, up 7c on the week.

Steers of the same weight, again the top third of lots, saw prices rise by 10c/kg to settle at €2.52/kg.

Even the price for the bottom third of lots sold rose by 3c to 7c/kg for short-keep stock, meaning the average is hovering around and above €2/kg.

Store trade for heifers remained unchanged on the week or slightly back for the lighter stock.

Store bullocks, despite having four times the numbers forward, saw rises from 5c to 15c/kg across the weight and quality categories.

Light bull weanlings sub-300kg saw an average increase of 13c/kg on the week to settle at €2.66/kg

The biggest beneficiary was better-quality steers from 400kg to 500kg which saw the average price rise by 11c/kg to settle at an impressive €2.61/kg - 11c higher than their heifer comrades.

A similar trend was seen in weanlings ,where bull calves all saw increases on the week to surpass heifer averages.

Light bull weanlings sub-300kg saw an average increase of 13c/kg on the week to settle at €2.66/kg.

As weights rose, averages dropped in line, with €2.39/kg seen for weanling bulls between 400kg and 450kg.

These prices are up 15c/kg compared with March 2020.

Cull cows

Factories are also in constant search for cull cows and the price at marts reflects this.

Average price rose by another 3c/kg to settle at €1.65/kg. For the top third of lots, well-fleshed R grading cows, this average rises to €2.08.