The beef trade remains in a negative trading environment. Base prices are unchanged at an average base of €3.45/kg for steers and €3.50/kg to €3.55/kg for heifers.
Factory appetite is also poor for stock exceeding the 30-month age limit and for heavy-carcase steers and young bulls.
Beef finisher frustration is being compounded by a combination of poor farmgate returns and a continued backlog in getting cattle accepted for slaughter.
Table 1 details the beef price for this week and the corresponding weeks in 2018 and 2017.
Steers and heifers are running 30c/kg lower on average or €105 on a 350kg steer carcase and €99 on a 330kg heifer carcase.
The fall in price is greater for young bulls and cows. R grading young bulls are trading from €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg at present, while U grading bulls are moving in general at €3.50/kg, with some specialist finishers securing 5c/kg higher.
The 40c/kg lower price equates to €152 on a 380kg carcase or €172 on a 430kg carcase.
Cow prices
Cow prices seem to have steadied this week after heavy cuts in the last 10 days.
P+3 grading cows are trading from €2.60/kg to €2.70/kg on average, while O grading cows are averaging €2.80/kg to €2.85/kg.
R grading cows are averaging around the €3.00/kg mark, with U grades 15c/kg to 20c/kg higher.
There are a small number of select deals being completed 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher for top-quality heavy-carcase cows, but these are generally confined to regular suppliers.
Cow prices are running 40c/kg behind the corresponding period in 2018 and 2017 or €120 per head on a 300kg carcase and €140 on a heavier 350kg carcase.
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The beef trade remains in a negative trading environment. Base prices are unchanged at an average base of €3.45/kg for steers and €3.50/kg to €3.55/kg for heifers.
Factory appetite is also poor for stock exceeding the 30-month age limit and for heavy-carcase steers and young bulls.
Beef finisher frustration is being compounded by a combination of poor farmgate returns and a continued backlog in getting cattle accepted for slaughter.
Table 1 details the beef price for this week and the corresponding weeks in 2018 and 2017.
Steers and heifers are running 30c/kg lower on average or €105 on a 350kg steer carcase and €99 on a 330kg heifer carcase.
The fall in price is greater for young bulls and cows. R grading young bulls are trading from €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg at present, while U grading bulls are moving in general at €3.50/kg, with some specialist finishers securing 5c/kg higher.
The 40c/kg lower price equates to €152 on a 380kg carcase or €172 on a 430kg carcase.
Cow prices
Cow prices seem to have steadied this week after heavy cuts in the last 10 days.
P+3 grading cows are trading from €2.60/kg to €2.70/kg on average, while O grading cows are averaging €2.80/kg to €2.85/kg.
R grading cows are averaging around the €3.00/kg mark, with U grades 15c/kg to 20c/kg higher.
There are a small number of select deals being completed 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher for top-quality heavy-carcase cows, but these are generally confined to regular suppliers.
Cow prices are running 40c/kg behind the corresponding period in 2018 and 2017 or €120 per head on a 300kg carcase and €140 on a heavier 350kg carcase.
Read more
Meat industry ‘aggressively’ prevented from going to beef taskforce meeting
Angry farmers demand legal injunctions are lifted
Monday management: give cattle plenty of lying space at housing
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