This week’s factory quotes for beef cattle sees most price offerings remain at a similar level to last week, with demand from factories still good and supplies of finished cattle relatively scarce.
This season’s grass cattle have started to arrive at factory lairages – albeit still in lower numbers.
Early reports from farmers who have drafted cattle off grass suggest cattle kill-outs, carcass weights and grades have been good in general despite the challenging weather conditions this spring.
Grass supplies are tight on many farms also at present and this is encouraging some farmers to draft cattle earlier that they usually might.
With temperatures rising in recent days, it is hoped growth rates will kick on again over the coming days.
Factory quotes: Heifers and steers
Heifer and bullock (steer) price remains much the same this week as last week at most factories with the trade holding but more of a positive than negative sentiment to pricing at present.
Heifers are being quoted at €5.20-5.25/kg on the grid and steers are being quoted at €5.15-5.20/kg.
Some factories are opening quotes at 5c/kg below this level but are paying more to secure any significant numbers of cattle.
Cow price
Cow price quotes remain on par with last week, but there is a big variation in the prices actually being paid between outlets and depending on cow weight, grade and spec.
Farmers can click here to view the prices paid for cows by grade on a factory-by-factory basis in the week ending Sunday, June 16.
U grade cows are being quoted at up to €5.10/kg at the higher-end of the price scale, with other outlets quoting €4.80-4.90/kg.
R grade cows are being quoted at €4.70-4.80/kg. O grade cows are being quoted at 4.50-€4.60/kg and P grade cows are being quoted at €4.40-4.50/kg.
Interestingly, cow prices in the Republic of Ireland remain above cow prices in Northern Ireland across all grades, but prime cattle prices are stronger in the north.
Bulls
The trade for bulls remains good with up to €5.40/kg being quoted for U grade bulls and €5.30/kg being quoted for R grade bulls.
In the week ending Sunday, June 16, over €5.70/kg was paid for U grade bulls.
The table below shows the prices paid on a factory-by-factory basis for R=2+ grade Young bulls in the week ending Sunday, June 16:
€5.10/kg is being quoted for O grade bulls and €5.00/kg is being quoted for P grade bulls.
Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €5.05-€5.10/kg on the grid.