As the UK enters a lockdown period similar to Ireland this week, procurement managers are quick to note the effect that this is going to have on its retail-level sales of Irish beef imports.
P-grading cows are now trading at €2.70/kg, with some processors quoting as low as €2.60/kg. O-grades are selling at €2.80/kg, while R-grades are trading at €3.00/kg with some processors. U-grading cows are being quoted between €3.10/kg and €3.20/kg.
Quoted prices for steers and heifers remain the same at €3.60 and €3.60-3.65/kg, respectively. Prime Angus-bred cattle seem to be in demand this week amongst some processors.
Bulls under 24 months old are being priced at €3.30-3.40/kg for O-grades, €3.50/kg for R-grades and €3.60/kg for U-grades.
Meanwhile, under-16-month-old bulls are continuing to be quoted between €3.50/kg and €3.60/kg on the grid.
Beef kill
Taking last week’s bank holiday Monday into account, the number of cattle processed last week saw a decrease of 4,014 head – as the total throughput amounted to 33,129 head.
Obviously, this had an effect on the total number of animals slaughtered across all categories. However, young bulls killed last week tallied up 1,637 head, which was an increase of 69 head on the previous week.
The number of cows processed came to 7,670 head, which is a decrease of 214 head from the previous week, but this figure is still racing ahead of 6,270 head of cows slaughtered during the same period last year.
