Factory quotes continue on an upward trajectory coming into the end of 2022, with most outlets quoting prices a little short of €5/kg but admitting this €5/kg base price is available for quality lots of prime cattle.
Most outlets are not overly pushed for cattle this week and have their kill sheets filled to the end of the year by now.
Heifers are being quoted at base prices ranging from €4.95/kg to €5.05/kg and bullocks (steers) are being quoted at 5c/kg less.
With the year drawing to a close and the trade remaining positive, most farmers are managing to squeeze a few extra cents out of the market for quality cattle.
Factory quotes
Cow price is also on the rise, with quotes of €4.60/kg and €4.70/kg for U-grade cows at outlets this week. R-grade cows are being quoted at €4.50/kg and €4.60/kg.
O- and P-grade cows are being quoted at prices ranging from €4.40/kg to €4.20/kg respectively.
Under-24-month bulls are being quoted at €5.00-5.10/kg for U-grade bulls, with 10c/kg less being quoted for R-grade bulls.
€4.80/kg and €4.70/kg is available for O- and P-grade bulls respectively.
Factory quotes for under-16-month bulls are coming in at €4.90-4.95/kg on the grid.
Some outlets are operating short-week kills this week, and most outlets will only be killing two or three days next week as a result of the Christmas holidays.
The opinion with most procurement staff is that supplies of finished cattle will be strong in the opening weeks of 2023 as farmers will offload cattle they had been holding until the new year.
Supplies of finished cattle will likely decline into late-January or February then, and some would suggest finished cattle will remain scarce for a considerable number of weeks.