Beef Update
IFA National Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said the attempts by factories to take advantage of the weather difficulties farmers are enduring is unacceptable. He said market conditions and the supplies of finished cattle justify stronger beef prices.
The IFA National Livestock Chair said the Prime Export Benchmark Price increased a further 4c/kg in the latest Bord Bia report reflecting the demand for beef in our key export markets. He said our prices are currently over 10c/kg behind this time last year while beef prices in our largest market, the UK are running over 12c/kg ahead of last year for the latest reported week. Declan Hanrahan said there is no justification for this and factories must move beef prices on.
Demand for beef is extremely strong in the UK, Northern Ireland factories are freely offering 5c/kg more for ROI cattle than some factories here for direct slaughter, agents for these factories are also very active in marts adding to competition for finished and forward store cattle. The IFA National Livestock Chair said attempts by factories to take advantage of these difficulties by holding back on beef price and playing their usual games of pushing back cattle is not acceptable, will not wash with farmers and must stop.
Beef Price Update 11/04/2024
Base Quotes Steer €5.20/5.30kg. Heifers €5.25/5.35kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €5.10/5.40Kg. Cows €4.10/4.90kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 14 (07.04.2024)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,658 | ▲1 | 5% | 35,925 | ▼-1,996 |
| Bull | 559 | ▲65 | 2% | 6,091 | ▼-287 |
| Steer | 11,292 | ▼-483 | 35% | 169,839 | ▲4,643 |
| Cow | 7,627 | ▼-14 | 24% | 122,418 | ▲15,353 |
| Heifer | 9,368 | ▲52 | 29% | 145,416 | ▲6,345 |
| Veal-V | 1,809 | ▲788 | 6% | 14,548 | ▼-12,998 |
| Veal-Z | 37 | ▼-26 | 0% | 789 | ▲82 |
| Total | 32,350 | ▲383 | 100% | 495,026 | ▲3,665 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 14 (07.04.2024)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 554 | ▲1 | 546 | ▲3 | 535 | ▲1 | 501 | ▼-1 |
| Heifers | 565 | ▲2 | 551 | ▲2 | 540 | ▼-1 | 489 | ▼-2 |
| Y Bulls | 543 | ▲3 | 532 | ▲2 | 518 | ▲2 | 512 | ▲4 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 488 | ▲4 | 443 | ▲0 | 424 | ▲3 |
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 |
| 30/03/2024 | 495.6 | 497.2 | 494.7 | 497.7 | 482 | 478.3 | 371.4 |
| 06/04/2024 | 495.3 | 495.0 | 494.0 | 494.6 | 481.3 | 481.5 | 380.2 |
| Change | ▼-0 | ▼-2 | ▼-1 | ▼-3 | ▼-1 | ▲3 | ▲5 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 608.2 | 607.8 | 606.6 | 607.3 | 591.0 | 591.2 | 466.9 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 26.03.2022 | 25.03.2023 | 30.03.2024 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 5.16 | € 5.15 | € 5.06 |
| IE + Steers | € 4.76 | € 5.26 | € 5.18 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.08 | € 5.57 | € 5.69 |
Live Cattle Exports W/C 25.03.2024
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chair Adrian Gallagher said the opening of the €8/ewe National Sheep Welfare Scheme today by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue is an important step in ensuring the levels of targeted support for sheep farmers reflects the enormous challenges in the sector. He said this scheme when combined with the SIS brings the total direct supports for sheep farmers to €20/ewe for this year which is much needed and must be built on. Adrian Gallaher said this new scheme has come about following an intensive campaign by IFA throughout last year highlighting the enormous income challenges on sheep farms The scheme is based on two categories of actions, with two actions within each category all costed at €4/ewe with participants selecting one action from each category to receive the full €8 payment. Adrian Gallagher said the choice of category 1 actions is shearing or Body Condition Scoring with the category two actions providing the option to select clostridial vaccination or plunge dipping.
Lamb Price Update 11/04/2024
Hogget’s €8.90/9.30/kg. Weights to 24kg. Spring Lamb €9.40/9.70kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €3.90/4.30/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 14 (07.04.2024)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 42,891 | ▼-10,843 | 644,962 | ▼-41,270 |
| Spring Lambs | 757 | ▼-7 | 10,555 | ▲6,088 |
| Ewes and Rams | 3,557 | ▼-981 | 69,371 | ▼-6,261 |
| Light Lambs | 5 | ▼-2 | 49 | ▼-4 |
| TOTAL | 47,210 | ▼-11,833 | 724,937 | ▼-41,447 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 14 (07.04.2024)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2023 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 861.14 | ▲24 | 675.73 | ▲184 |
| YTD Avg | 733.19 | ▲20 | 624.81 | ▲114 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 30/03/2024 | 821.5 | 816.3 | Old season lamb |
| 06/04/2024 | 837.2 | 829.5 | Old season lamb |
| Change | ▲16 | ▲13 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 1028.0 | 1018.5 |
Live Sheep Exports March 31st 2024
