Last week’s move by beef-processing facilities in Ireland to pull cattle prices has failed to draw out any significantly higher number of cattle, according to official figures released yesterday, Tuesday, August 17.
The total number of cattle processed in meat factories approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) last week stood at 34,012 head of cattle – up 3,015 head from the 30,997 head of cattle processed on the week following the August Bank Holiday.
While last week’s kill has bounced back from the bank holiday week’s figures, and did see the third-highest number of cattle processed in a week this year, throughput was still marginally behind figures from two weeks ago – the last week where quotes had held.
An analysis of the department’s throughput figures would indicate that while cuts to heifer and steer prices are leaving processors with cheaper beef, they are failing to flush any extra of an amount of cattle onto the system – news that can be welcomed by beef finishers.
Weekly beef kill changes (last week versus previous week)
- Young bulls: 1,504 head (+114 head);
- Bulls: 639 head (+20 head);
- Steers: 16,814 head (+1,500 head);
- Cows: 6,484 head (+586 head);
- Heifers: 8,577 head (+806 head);
- Total: 34,012 head [incl. veal] (+3,015 head).
As the table above indicates, last week’s figures are up by over 3,000 head on the kill from the short week following the bank holiday.
The most notable increase was in the steer category which may have been where some processors got the courage to chance taking another 5c/kg off steer base-price for this week.
The national beef kill for 2021 has now crossed 1,000,000 head of cattle and while this is a large throughput, it is still 72,464 head of cattle behind last year.
Stay tuned to Agriland for further updates and analysis on the national beef kill.