This year’s beef kill at export meat plants is currently running 50,000 head behind 2014 levels, last weeks beef kill stood at 31,212 head, figures from the Department of Agriculture show.

The cumulative beef kill to August 7 stood at 1.10m head which fell from 1.15m for the same period in 2014.

Compared to the same week last year, the beef kill is down  2,721 head from 33,933, it says.

These latest figures from the Department show that steer throughput to meat factories for the week of August 7 were down from the same week last year, with 16,963 head going to factories compared to 15,756 last year.

There was a throughput of 7,235 heifers to factories last week, this was down from 7,851 from the corresponding period last year, figures show.

Cow throughput last week was also down (556) compared to the same week in 2014 with 5,992 going to factories.

The bull kill from last week was down also compared to the same week last year, the Department’s figures show.

Some 582 bulls went to factories last week compared to a throughput of 740 in the same week last year.

Heifer price sits at 405c/kg – No change in factor beef price

Factories have resisted the urge to increase beef price, despite the reduced numbers of cattle coming for slaughter.

The prime beef price remains unchanged for the third consecutive week with factories offering 395c/kg for steers and quoting 405c/kg for heifers.

Despite the sub-four euro per kilogram quotes farmers are slow to sell their stock says the main farming organisations who have urged their members to hold out for 400c/kg for steers.

The majority of plants are now sitting at 360/kg for R grade cows, with some plants still offering 370c/kg for these lots.

The plainer type dairy culls have also fallen slightly with plants quoting 340-355c/kg for the O-type lots.

The poorer P type cows are making 330-340c/kg while P grade cows with flesh are making up to 345c/kg.