The cattle trade remains steady this week much as it has done for the past number of months.
Some ease in supplies has been reported and demand is said to be best for in spec cattle.
According to Bord Bia, a slow trade was noted across our key export markets.
Much like last week, steers in general, are being purchased at an average base price of €3.90/kg on the Quality Payment System.
Meanwhile, for heifers, the base price payable is typically making €4.00/kg with €4.05/kg achieved for selected lots.
These prices exclude the 12c/kg bonus payable on in-spec QA animals. Prices paid for O grade cull cows were mostly in the range between €3.15/kg and €3.30/kg.
IFA beef price update
- Steer base €3.90/kg
- Heifers €4.00-€4.05kg.
- Young bulls O/R/U €3.70/€3.80/€3.90/kg.
- Cows P+/O/R/U €3.15/€3.20/€3.45/€3.60/kg.
Beef kill
Cattle supplies at Irish export meat plants for the week ending March 18 stood at just over 28,000 head, which was almost 10% lower than the previous week and the equivalent week in 2015.
Cumulative supplies of steers and heifers are up 6% and 3% respectively while cows continue to be back 5% so far this year. Total cattle throughputs are up 6% or over 19,000 head so far this year.
Markets
In Britain, Bord Bia says reported cattle prices from the AHDB for GB R4L grade steers eased and were averaging at Stg 337.5 pence/kg dw (equivalent to 429.88 cent/kg dw) for the week ended March 11. Demand remains slow particularly for topside cuts with rump and fillet steaks were performing best.
In France, it says little change was reported in the market this week with the focus on domestically produced product continuing to impact the trade.
In Italy, Bord Bia says the market remains relatively steady with some increase in demand reported which is hoped will help the trade in the coming weeks.