The total number of beef cattle slaughtered at beef export plants last week was back 5% on the corresponding period last year, figures from the Department of Agriculture show.
The national beef for the week beginning November 23, 2015 stood at 1.45m head.
Total heifer throughput at the factories is back 4% on the corresponding week last year with total throughput this year standing at 382,211.
Looking at steer throughput, 590,975 head were slaughtered for the week beginning November 23, 2015. This up 4% on 2014 levels.
Throughput of young bulls to export plants is back 22% on the corresponding period in 2014. The is a drop of 38,219 head.
The Department of Agriculture figures show that there’s been an 11% drop in the number of cows going to the factory on 2014 levels.
For the week ending November 23, total cow throughput stood at 300,295 head.
The cumulative bull kill is also back on 2014 levels. There’s been a decrease in throughput compared to the corresponding period last year of 22%.
Total bull throughput stands at 31,806 up to the week beginning November 23, 2015.
Weekly beef kill differences
The weekly beef kill for the week beginning November 23, 2015, sits at 33,183 head. This is up 3% on the previous week.
The weekly heifer kill has increased by 9% with and additional 814 heifers slaughtered last week compared to the previous week.
However, despite the increased number of heifers coming forward, the week-on-week steer kill has dropped by 5%, with the steer kill standing at 13,663 head.
The weekly cow kill last week was down by 2% at 6,505 head while the weekly bull kill stood at 464, an increase of 42 on the previous week.
There was a 21% increase in the weekly young bull kill with a throughput of 3,627 head last week.
No great moves in the factory beef trade
There has been no major change in the prices quotes for prime cattle with the majority of processors maintaining prices similar to last week’s levels.
According to procurement managers, heifers are currently making 400c/kg on the grid while farmers are being offered 385-390c/kg for steers.
Furthermore, the cull trade also seems to have settled, with the majority of processors offering 320-330c/kg for R grade cows.
There has also been little movement in the market for the O and P grade dairy types with beef plants offering 290-300c/kg and 280-290c/kg for these dairy types, according to procurement managers.