This week’s factory quotes sees prices on offer for beef cattle hold relatively steady as the 2024 Galway Races Summer Festival kicks off today, Monday, July 29.
The Galway Races is traditionally an event that is well-attended by beef farmers from across Ireland and many factory procurement staff take annual leave on the week of the event.
Some procurement staff are confident they have kill sheets filled for the week and are talking of a cut to prices for next week, while others are still seeking bookings for this week with price offerings firm for this week.
Factory quotes: Steers and heifers
This week, steers (bullocks) are being quoted at €4.95-5.00/kg on the grid with up to €5.10/kg still available at some outlets for choice lots of steers with carcass weights ranging from 300-400kg.
Heifers are being quoted at €5.00-5.05/kg on the grid in general this week with €5.15/kg available from at least one Co. Donegal-based outlet for eligible heifers with carcass weights ranging from 300-400kg.
Some outlets are quoting €4.90 and €4.95/kg on the grid for steers and heifers respectively this week but it remains to be seen if any significant numbers of cattle will be purchased at these rates.
Cows
Fleshed P grade cows are being quoted at prices ranging from €4.10/kg-€4.20/kg, with top prices of €4.30/kg being quoted again this week.
The average price paid for P=1= grade cows in the week ending Sunday, July 21, was just under €3.26/kg and the average price paid for O=3= cows was just under €4.43/kg.
The graph below shows how the average price paid for P+3+ cows over the past 12 weeks:
O grade cows are being quoted at €4.25-4.40/kg in general this week with more available in cases for well-fleshed O+ cows.
R grade cows are being quoted at €4.45-4.50/kg this week with up to €4.60 being quoted for the grade-toppers and U grade cows are being quoted at €4.55-4.70/kg with up to €4.80/kg being quoted for good, U-grade cows at the higher-end of the price scale.
There is some expectation from processors that cow supplies will reduce over the coming weeks as cow kill figures have remained higher than forecasted to date this year.
Bulls
Under-24-month bulls are being quoted at prices ranging from €5.20-5.30 for U grades with prices ranging from €5.10-5.20/kg for R grades.
O grade bulls are €4.95-5.10/kg and P grade bulls are being quoted at €4.80-4.90/kg
Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €4.95-€5.00/kg on the grid.