The latest report from the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) indicates that Irish heifer prices decreased by 1.3c/kg from the week ending May 19 to the week ending June 16.

This moves Ireland’s R3 heifers down to fifth place in the overall EU standings; compared to fourth place in May. In addition, Britain moved to sixth, while Northern Ireland has dropped one place to seventh.

According to the LMC – during this period – R3 heifer prices in the Republic of Ireland were 6.7c/kg ahead what R3 heifers made in Britain and 13c/kg higher than the price in Northern Ireland.

In Ireland, the prices achieved by R3 heifers stood at 394.4c/kg for the week ending June 16. This is a decrease of 1.3c/kg from the 395.7c/kg paid to Irish farmers during the week ending May 19.

Furthermore, Irish R3 heifer prices stand at 19.1c/kg higher than the EU average (for this period), figures from the LMC show.

In Northern Ireland, the R3 heifer price was the equivalent of 381.4c/kg – a fall of 13.2c/kg on May returns.

The gap between the R3 heifer price in Northern Ireland and the EU average fell to 6.1c/kg during this period.

For the week ending June 16 – in Britain – R3 heifer prices equaled the equivalent of 387.7c/kg. This was a massive fall of 21.8c/kg from the 409.4c/kg paid during the week ending May 19.

If we take a 300kg heifer carcass – for the week ending June 16 – heifers slaughtered in Italy made €57.80 more than heifers in the Republic of Ireland.

France has moved to third place in the standings. R3 heifers were 396c/kg during the week ending June 16 – an increase of 1c/kg on the previous month’s figures.

Figures from the LMC also show that Italian farmers received the highest price for R3 heifers – at 413.6c/kg – while Luxembourg retained second place with a R3 heifer price of 401.8c/kg.

Heifers in Spain achieved prices of 369.5c/kg during the week ending June 16.