This week's factory quotes have seen beef price offers decline by a further 10c/kg as forward store cattle buyers continue to count their losses.

Factory beef price offers have now fallen by €0.90-€1.00/kg since the start of this year, with forward store cattle buyers bringing these to beef most exposed to the price cuts.

Price offers for cattle this week are now back to February 2025 levels and are down approximately €1.70/kg from when prices peaked in April 2025.

In early March of this year, bullocks in the 500-600kg weight category averaged €3.75/kg or €2,043/head at Kilkenny Mart.

Assuming these cattle were bought-in and put on a 90-day finishing diet to be sold in early June, the factory price offer has dropped approximately 70c/kg since then.

These heavier bullocks over 600kg averaged €3.43/kg at the most recent sale at Kilkenny.

For context, bullocks over 600kg were averaging €4.10/kg at the same mart in late January this year.

In many cases, farmers buying store cattle and taking these to finish are struggling to secure the same price they paid for these cattle last winter/spring - and are accruing losses even before feed costs are taken into account.

Factory quotes: Heifers and steers

This week, heifers are generally being quoted at €6.20-€6.30/kg on the grid and steers are generally being quoted at €6.10-€6.20/kg.

Some procurement staff are noting that finished cattle are becoming slightly less available but also warned that fridge storage is still filled with beef with no significant lift in demand seen yet.

Other procurement staff did not rule out further price cuts over the coming weeks and advised caution on the high prices that are still being paid for store cattle in cases.

Angus breed bonuses are generally ranging from 15-20c/kg on eligible cattle, while Hereford breed bonuses are generally ranging from 5-10c/kg on eligible cattle.

Cow price

€5.60/kg has been tabled for 'P' grade cows this week, with less of a price variation in offers between outlets this week.

'O' grade cows are being quoted at €5.70/kg at the higher end of the price scale. Some outlets are offering €5.80/kg for 'O+' grade cows this week.

'R' grade cows are being quoted at €5.80-€5.90/kg in general with some outlets offering up to €6.00/kg for these.

'U' grade cows are being quoted at €6.00-€6.10/kg, with some outlets offering premiums of €6.20/kg for 'U' grade cows.

Click here to see the latest official factory cow price data.

Bulls

Under-24-month bulls are being quoted at €6.40-€6.50/kg for 'U' grades at the higher-end of the scale with other outlets tabling €6.30/kg.

'R' grade bulls are being quoted at €6.40/kg with lower offers of €6.20-€6.30/kg more common.

'O' grade bulls are being quoted at €6.10/kg in general and 'P' grade bulls are being quoted at €6.00/kg.

Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €6.20/kg on the grid in general this week.