Beef Trade Remains Steady

IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods has said the beef trade remains steady with factories paying €4.00 base for steers and €4.10/kg base for heifers. He said top base prices of €4.05/kg has been paid to secure steers and factories are anxious for numbers.

Angus Woods said the cow trade is also strong with P grades making €3.30/3.40/kg, O grades at €3.40/3.50/kg, R grades at €3.60/3.70/kg and U grades making €3.70/3.80/kg. He said factories specialising in cows are paying higher prices for quality cows.

The IFA livestock leader said young bulls are making €3.95/4.00/kg for R grades and U grades are making €4.10/kg and more in places.

Angus Woods said the weekly kill at the factories is quite strong at 35/36,000 head per week but market demand is also strong. He said to date this year we have processed similar numbers to last year with throughput of 368,985 to week ending March 17th.

Cattle prices across our main markets in the EU are better than last year with UK R3 steers reported at the equivalent of €4.32/kg including VAT. In France R3 young bulls are making €4.10/kg. In Italy and Spain R3 young bulls are making €4.13/k and the highest price is in Germany where young bulls are making €4.27/kg.

On the live export side, Angus Woods said calf exports are going well but he hoped numbers would pick up over the coming weeks. In total live exports are running ahead of last year’s levels at 44,268 to March 10th. International live exports to turkey and Libya are also positive with 7,600 exported so far this year.