Ireland remains in fifth place on the EU deadweight cattle prices league table, latest data from the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) shows.
Ireland dropped to fifth two weeks ago after Sweden and France jumped ahead with higher beef prices.
For the week ending August 23, 2015 the average R3 heifer price in the Republic was 409.4c/kg; back 22.6c/kg from the 431.9c/kg paid in the week ending July 26, 2015.
This latest price was 10.8c/kg above the EU average.
Northern Ireland retains its second place spot on the league table and for the week ending August 23 the average R3 heifer price paid in the North was the equivalent of 462.5c/kg.
This is back 25.8c/kg from the 488.3c/kg paid in the week ending July 26, the LMC says.
The average R3 heifer price in the Republic is now 52.1c/kg lower than the equivalent price in the North.
Looking to the rest of the UK (England, Scotland and Wales), it retains the number one spot on the EU deadweight cattle prices league table.
For the week ending August 23, the average R3 cattle price in the rest of the UK was the equivalent of 494.3c/kg. This latest price was back 17.6c/kg from the week ending July 26 when it was the equivalent of 511.9c/kg.
This latest decline in the heifer price resulted in the UK/EU price differential narrowing from 108.6c/kg to 95.7c/kg in the week ending August 23.
In the week ending August 23 the average R3 heifer price in the EU was 398.6c/kg, down 4.7c/kg from 403.3c/kg in the week ending August 26. The euro was up to €1= 71.1p in the week ending August 23.
Image: Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC)