Beef Update
Ahead of the ICBF stakeholder forum, IFA Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said it is a matter for individual breed societies how they run their premier sales and the information breeders make available for their bulls. He said farmers buying breeding bulls from pedigree breeders are making a significant financial investment in these animals and they should be provided with all available information to help in the selection process. Declan Hanrahan said the stakeholder forum has substantially addressed the issues of immediate concern that suckler farmers and pedigree breeders raised, particularly on SCEP eligibility and the lower cow weights. Other important issues are progressing.
“At tomorrow’s meeting, IFA will be looking for the forum to assess the most appropriate long-term direction to drive the economic viability of suckler farms considering the fundamental changes that have occurred in the sector and ensuring the indices provide the most appropriate and relevant information to farmers while allowing pedigree breeders supply these requirements,” he said. Declan Hanrahan said the forum must now intensify its work to agree this long-term strategy and ensure that the indices as a result have the broad support of farmers and pedigree breeders to help drive the economic viability of suckler farmers into the future.
Beef Price Update 14/02/2025
Base Steer €6.20/6.30kg Up to €6.35kg. Heifers €6.30/6.40kg Up to €6.45kg. Flat prices €6.70kg to €7.00kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Flat prices €6.60/6.80kg. Y Bulls R/U €6.40/6.60Kg. Cows €5.50/6.10kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 06 (09.02.2025)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 3,050 | ▼-562 | 7% | 19,281 | ▲889 |
| Bull | 410 | ▼-22 | 1% | 1,844 | ▼-111 |
| Steer | 11,750 | ▼-1,220 | 27% | 70,290 | ▲411 |
| Cow | 8,479 | ▼-1,242 | 19% | 46,987 | ▼-6,836 |
| Heifer | 11,163 | ▼-1,011 | 25% | 67,945 | ▲4,881 |
| Veal-V | 6 | ▼-22 | 0% | 155 | ▼-132 |
| Veal-Z | 70 | ▼-106 | 0% | 622 | ▲406 |
| Total | 43,928 | ▲4,815 | 100% | 207,124 | ▲3,665 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 06 (09.02.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 652 | ▲19 | 647 | ▲25 | 641 | ▲27 | 610 | ▲25 |
| Heifers | 662 | ▲26 | 650 | ▲24 | 647 | ▲26 | 602 | ▲24 |
| Y Bulls | 649 | ▲17 | 640 | ▲22 | 623 | ▲21 | 620 | ▲17 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 590 | ▲13 | 562 | ▲23 | 549 | ▲28 |
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 |
| 01/02/2025 | 612.9 | 617.2 | 611.2 | 615.6 | 593.0 | 588.9 | 458.4 |
| 08/02/2025 | 629.0 | 630.6 | 627.2 | 629.2 | 615.7 | 621.9 | 478.1 |
| Change | ▲16 | ▲13 | ▲4 | ▲14 | ▲23 | ▲33 | ▲20 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 790.7 | 792.8 | 788.5 | 791.0 | 774.0 | 781.8 | 601.0 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 31.12.2022 | 30.12.2023 | 04.01.2025 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 5.21 | € 4.97 | € 5.61 |
| IE + Steers | € 5.00 | € 5.03 | € 5.64 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.12 | € 5.64 | € 6.65 |
Live Cattle Exports 20th February
Sheep Update
Launching IFA’s 2025 ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign in Newcastle, Co Wicklow today, IFA President Francie Gorman said dog owners have to be confronted about their failure to take responsibility for the actions of their pets. The devastation caused has to be brought home to those who think their dog would not be part of an attack on livestock. Dog owners cannot absolve themselves of the wreakage left behind when sheep are attacked. The majority of responsible dog owners have a role here also,” he said.IFA President said the new Government has to recognise the deepening issue of dog attacks on livestock. “The lack of robust enforcement of the legal obligations on dog owners has allowed horrendous attacks to persist and increase across the country. It is unacceptable,” Francie Gorman said. “We are demanding stronger regulations and stricter enforcement for those who disregard the safety and wellbeing of our livestock,” he said. Sheep Chair Adrian Gallagher said stronger regulations announced by the then Minister Humphreys in late 2023 were a step in the right direction, but they don’t go far enough to protect livestock from dog attacks. Among the measures proposed by the Working Group of Control of dogs were stricter regulations and increased enforcement on the ground to tackle the issue of irresponsible dog ownership.
Lamb Price Update 14/02/2025
Lambs €9.00kg/9.30kg. Weights to 24kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.80/5.10/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 06 (09.02.2025)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 32487 | ▲1,017 | 182830 | ▼-80,086 |
| Spring Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 17278 | ▲8,707 |
| Ewes and Rams | 3320 | ▼-446 | 18540 | ▼-11,821 |
| Light Lambs | 4 | ▲2 | 13 | ▼-5 |
| TOTAL | 35811 | ▲573 | 218661 | ▼-83,204 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 06 (09.02.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2024 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 755.07 | ▲0 | 630.58 | ▲180 |
| YTD Avg | 774.29 | ▼-3 | 662.54 | ▲205 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 01/02/2025 | 716.6 | 710.0 | New season Lamb |
| 08/02/2025 | 734.2 | 729.4 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▲18 | ▲19 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 901.5 | 895.6 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports 2024
