Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said factories must put a halt to reducing beef prices. He said the latest Prime export Benchmark price has now opened up a gap of 25c/kg with the Prime Irish composite price.
He said factories are failing to reflect the full value of the market place to farmers and this is unacceptable. Processors must and can do more for return the full value of the market to beef farmers with higher price.
Steer prices are ranging from €4.60kg to €4.70kg and heifers €4.65kg to €4.75kg.
Young bulls R/U are making from €3.80kg to €4.00kg. Cow prices are starting off at €3.80kg for P grades up to €4.40kg well fleshed U grade cows.
Brendan Golden said there is up to 10c/kg to 15c/kg of a difference in paid and quoted prices and farmers should sell hard when marketing stock.
Beef Price Update 17/08/2023
Base Quotes Steer €4.60/4.70kg. Heifers €4.65/4.75kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €4.80/5.00Kg. Cows €3.80/4.40kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 32 (13.08.2023)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1302 | ▼-410 | 4% | 81480 | ▼-10,088 |
| Bull | 549 | ▼-128 | 2% | 17926 | ▼-113 |
| Steer | 15982 | ▲54 | 48% | 393040 | ▼-11,481 |
| Cow | 6547 | ▼-288 | 20% | 241685 | ▼-7,246 |
| Heifer | 8887 | ▲177 | 27% | 297263 | ▼-8,910 |
| Veal-V | 33 | ▲31 | 0% | 30473 | ▲2,505 |
| Veal-Z | 29 | ▲12 | 0% | 1157 | ▲16 |
| Total | 33329 | ▼-552 | 100% | 1063024 | ▼-35,317 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 32 (13.08.2023)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 499 | ▼-7 | 489 | ▼-7 | 475 | ▼-6 | 441 | ▼-7 |
| Heifers | 505 | ▼-9 | 493 | ▼-7 | 482 | ▼-7 | 436 | ▼-3 |
| Y Bulls | 494 | ▼-6 | 479 | ▼-5 | 456 | ▼-9 | 448 | ▲3 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 436 | ▼-12 | 404 | ▼-4 | 388 | ▼-6 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| Steers | Steers | Heifers | Heifers | Y bull | Y bull | Cow | |
| p/kg | R3 | R4L | R3 | R4L | R3 | R4L | -O4L |
| 05/08/2023 | 466.5 | 469.5 | 464.7 | 469.1 | 455.4 | 454.9 | 347.3 |
| 12/08/2023 | 463.0 | 468.8 | 455.0 | 461.3 | 465.6 | 452.1 | 454.1 |
| Change | ▼-4 | ▼-1 | ▼-3 | ▼-4 | ▼-1 | ▼-1 | ▼-7 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 575.2 | 582.4 | 573.1 | 578.4 | 564.2 | 563.8 | 423.4 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 07.08.2021 | 06.08.2022 | 05.08.2023 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 3.88 | € 4.98 | € 4.74 |
| IE + Steers | € 4.26 | € 4.81 | € 4.72 |
| UK + Steers | € 4.84 | € 5.22 | € 5.36 |
Live Exports W/C 24.07.2023
Sheep Update
IFA National Sheep Chair Kevin Comiskey has heavily criticised both meat factories and Government for the lack of meaningful support to sheep farmers. He said the crises in the sheep sector is deepening as prices continue to lag behind last year’s levels with an estimated €10.5m wiped of farmers’ incomes in 2023 to date when compared to the price differential from last year. Input costs on sheep farms have increased by over 40% and farmers do not have the capacity to absorb these cost increases which is effectively eroding all margins in an extremely low-income sector he said. Teagasc figures showed income levels on sheep farms dropped by over 80% last year to just €7/ewe which included the SWS payment. “Farmers cannot continue to sustain this level of cuts, confidence in the sector is extremely low and farmers are exiting the sector due to the lack of support displayed to farmers,” the IFA National Sheep Chair said. “Factories and the Government are acutely aware of the loss-making situation sheep farmers are in but refuse to support them,” he added. Kevin Comiskey said the Minister and the Government have sat idle by while the sector is collapsing. IFA have consistently identified these concerns to the Minister but has failed to take action on it and come forward with meaningful supports for sheep farmers.
Lamb Price Update 17/08/2023
Spring Lamb €6.20/6.50/kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €2.70/3.00/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 32 (13.08.2023)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 385 | ▼-373 | 978397 | ▲84,271 |
| Spring Lambs | 39494 | ▼-8,649 | 561458 | ▼-58,782 |
| Ewes and Rams | 6336 | ▼-290 | 175442 | ▼-18,010 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 127 | ▲20 |
| TOTAL | 46215 | ▼-9,312 | 1715424 | ▲7,499 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 32 (13.08.2023)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | WK 32 | Change prev wk | 2022 | Change prev yr |
| National Avg Price | 613.66 | ▼-21 | 637.57 | ▼-24 |
| YTD Avg | 678.52 | ▼-2 | 712.11 | ▼-34 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 05/08/2023 | 575.0 | 574.0 | New season lamb |
| 12/08/2023 | 574.5 | 574.3 | New season lamb |
| Change | ▼-1 | ▲0 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 713.7 | 713.5 |
Live Sheep Exports Jan-June
