After 11 weeks of continued price drops and trade pressure, it appears the lower factory quotes are beginning to bottom out this week.
While it remains to be seen if the trade will remain steady now, the fact lower-end quotes have held for this week is to be taken as a positive.
However, with 40c/kg shaved off heifer and steer base price since the trade peaked in late April, a 350kg heifer or steer is back by €140/head.
Factory quotes: Heifers and steers
Heifers are generally being quoted at €4.90/kg on the grid this week. €5.00/kg on the grid is available at some outlets for top-end heifers with carcass weights between 300-400kg.
Bullocks (steers) are being quoted at €4.85/kg generally speaking. €4.95/kg is on offer at the higher end of the price scale, again for steers with suitable carcass weights.
Processors seem anxious to ramp up cattle throughputs after operating four-day kills and half days at numerous sites for the past four months.
Supplies of grass-finished cattle are coming on stream and while weekly kills are increasing ever so slightly, it would appear the supply of cattle is currently falling somewhat short of the processor appetite for cattle.
Cows
Cow price continues to vary with up to 50c/kg difference in price quotes between processors for all grades of cows.
Heavy cows with a fat score above a 2+ and a carcass weight above 270kg will naturally be paid at higher rates than cows falling below this criteria.
Generally speaking, €4.00/kg is being quoted for P-grade cows this week, with some processors quoting as high as €4.30/kg and other outlets quoting as low as €3.80/kg.
O-grade cows are being quoted at prices ranging from€3.90-4.40/kg; R-grade cows are being quoted at prices ranging from €4.10-4.60/kg; and U-grade cows are being quoted at prices ranging from €4.20-4.70/kg.
Bulls
Under-24-month bulls have also steadied in price this week with some processors very keen for bulls that are well fleshed and not too heavy and are willing to pay above steer base price rates.
Bulls grading U and R are being quoted at flat prices ranging from €4.90-5.10 and €4.80-5.00/kg respectively.
Bulls grading O and P are being quoted at €4.60-4.80 and €4.50-4.70/kg respectively.
Under-16-month bulls are being quoted at €4.85-4.90/kg on the grid.