Beef
The 2025 UK beef production from January to May is 10,000t, or 3%, below the same time period last year, according to the AHDB
After the protest outside the 12th Beef Roundtable, figures have revealed that beef cattle supplies were at their highest point in 2018 last week.
The number of cattle slaughtered in export approved beef plants last week climbed by 1.3% or 475 head compared to the previous week.
After weeks of uncertainty, beef procurement managers have steadied the ship somewhat and are offering bases of 385c/kg for steers and 395c/kg for heifers.
After holding relatively steady for an extended period, cow prices have come under pressure this week and most buyers have opted to drop quotes.
A combination of a number of factors, including a delayed spring and tight fodder reserves at farm level, has seen the number of cattle slaughtered on a weekly basis drop.
Despite a relatively large beef kill during the week ending February 18, base cattle quotes have remained largely unchanged this week.
The number of cattle slaughtered in approved beef plants has swelled in recent weeks and the beef kill has swelled to over 40,000 head.
Like the sweeper systems employed by Messrs FitzGerald and McGrath on Sunday, a similar tactic appears to be taking centre stage on the beef market.
Prices achieved for steers during June were up marginally on the corresponding month in 2016, official figures show.
The number of cattle coming forward for slaughter is expected to drop this week, as farmers prioritise saving hay and silage.
There was a slight shift in the age profile of Irish cattle slaughterings in 2016, recent figures from the Department of Agriculture show.
Friesian animals dominated Irish beef cattle supplies in 2016 as they accounted for nearly 28% of the total kill, new figures shows.
Farmers held on to cattle over the final two weeks of 2016 in the hope that prices would rise with the turn of the new year.
There appears to be little let up in the number of cattle being slaughtered in Ireland, as the weekly beef kill passed 35,000 head for the third week in a row.
The influence of dairy genetics and cull cow slaughterings has yet to have had a major impact on the carcass weights of Irish beef cattle.
There has been a slight improvement in factory beef prices, as procurement managers seem keen to secure cattle for the Christmas market.
Beef finishers are beginning to witness some flexibility when it comes to negotiating deals with factories this week, as many try to secure stocks for the peak Christmas period.
The biggest weekly increase can be seen in culled cow numbers, which have increased by over 20% according to the Department of Agriculture
There has been a slight relief for beef finishers as many processors have opted to increase beef quotes by 5c/kg this week.
The number of cattle slaughtered at Department of Agriculture approved beef export plants has passed the 36,000 head mark for the second time this month.
There has been a slight ease in the number of beef cattle slaughtered in Department of Agriculture approved beef export plants.
A number of factories have moved to lower base beef quotes by 5c/kg on the back of a weaker Sterling.
