This week's factory quotes for finished beef cattle sees some outlets increase their price offer by 10c/kg while others hold their price offer at the same level as last week.

Most processing sites have had to reduce the number of cattle in their weekly kill, and many procurement staff are noticing a further reduced availability of finished cattle in the past week.

Some outlets have dropped their price offer again for this week but it remains to be seen if they will manage to secure any cattle at their lower price rate.

With limited numbers of finished cattle available, competition is heating up between processors to secure cattle supplies.

This week, heifers are being quoted at €7.20-7.25/kg on the grid. Some outlets are starting the week off at the reduced rate of €7.10/kg on the grid for heifers.

Steers (bullocks) are being quoted at€7.10/kg on the grid in general, with up to €7.20/kg tabled in cases this week.

Some outlets have reduced their offer for steers to €7.00/kg on the grid this week, leaving them 20c/kg behind the higher base price offers this week.

Breed bonuses of up to 30c/kg remain available on eligible Angus heifers and steers, but most outlets are paying 20-25c/kg of a breed bonus on eligible Angus cattle.

The Hereford breed bonus is at 15-20c/kg this week, generally speaking.

Cow price offers have also seen a lift of up to 10c/kg in cases this week, with tight prime cattle supplies seeing some procurement staff attempting to fill out kill sheets with additional cows.

Ashbourne Meats is running a cow carcass competition this week, to celebrate 40 years of business with prizes of up to €500 available to farmers.

'U' grade cows are being quoted at€7.00-7.10/kg, with 6.80-6.90/kg being quoted for 'R' grade cows.

'O' grade cows are being quoted at 6.60-6.70/kg, and 'P' grade cows are being quoted at 6.40-6.50/kg.

Under-24-month bulls are being quoted at €7.40-7.50/kg for 'U' grades, with €7.30-7.40/kg being quoted for 'R' grades.

'O' grade bulls are being quoted at €7.20/kg and 'P' grade bulls are being quoted at €7.10/kg.

Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €7.10-7.15/kg on the grid.