This week's factory quotes have seen processors that were quoting the lower price rates last week increase their prices for this week as supplies of factory-fit cattle remain scarce.

May is never a month that would traditionally see large weekly cattle kills, but supplies for this May are expected to be below last year's supplies for the month.

Most processors have reduced the number of days they are killing cattle but remain very keen to secure cattle to fill out these reduced kill sheets.

Heifers are being quoted at €7.60/kg on the grid in general this week. Factories that were at €7.50/kg for heifers last week have increased their offer by 10c/kg for this week.

Steers (bullocks) are being quoted at €7.50/kg in general this week. Breed bonuses of up to 30c/kg remain available on eligible in-spec cattle.

Procurement staff are reluctant to engage in flat-price agreements and are more keen to price all prime cattle on the grid.

However, some deals are still being struck on a flat-price basis for this week allowing for leniency in cases where carcass specification may fall eligible for price penalties.

Premiums of up to €7.50/kg are being quoted this week for U-grade cows, with €7.20-7.30/kg the general run of 'R' grade cow price quotes this week.

Fleshed O-grade cows with carcass weights above 270kg are being quoted at €6.90/kg and 'P' grade cows are being quoted at €6.80/kg this week.

Click here to see the latest official cow prices by grade and processor as reported by factories to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Under-24-month bulls are being quoted at up to €7.90/kg for U-grades, with some outlets putting forward bull prices significantly below this level.

'R' grade bulls are being quoted at up to €7.80/kg, with €7.60 and 7.50/kg being quoted for 'O' and 'P' grade bulls respectively this week.

Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €7.60/kg on the grid this week.

Some processors have told Agriland that they have reduced demand for bull beef this week, while the strong bull-beef outlets remain as keen as ever for bulls under 24 months-of-age.

Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €7.60/kg on the grid.