Heifer prices in Ireland have been moving in the right direction in recent weeks, but how do they compare to the UK and European countries?
During the week ending May 10, the average R3 heifer price in the EU was 348.8c/kg – a decrease of 4.3c/kg from 353.1c/kg in the week ending April 12.
According to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), Northern Ireland moved into fifth place on the league table during the week ending May 10, with an equivalent price of 378.3c/kg. This was a 10.3c/kg increase from the 367.9c/kg paid during the week ending April 12.
The difference between R3 heifer prices in Northern Ireland and the EU average widened from 14.8c/kg in the week ending April 12 to 29.5c/kg in the week ending May 10, the LMC reports.
Meanwhile, in the week ending May 10, Ireland was a non-mover in the EU league table. Its R3 heifer price was 350.9c/kg – up 0.9c/kg on the week ending May 10.
Source: LMC
Therefore, on a 300kg carcass, farmers in Northern Ireland were securing an extra €54/head compared to what was on offer south of the border.
The LMC also highlights that the differential between the R3 heifer price in Ireland and the EU average stood at 2.1c/kg during the week ending May 10.
Moving onto Britain R3 heifer returns, the LMC reports an average price of 375.5c/kg was paid during the week ending May 10 – a decrease of 3.3c/kg when compared to April 12.
This, it says, placed British returns 26.7c/kg above the EU average price, but 2.8c/kg behind the equivalent Northern Irish price.