Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chairman Declan Hanrahan said factories must do more for farmers on beef price. He said beef farmers with cattle to sell now have made huge investments over the past number of months to have cattle ready for factories at this time of the year. Without these farmers factories would not be able to service our key markets with a guaranteed weekly supply of beef. He said its not acceptable how factories are treating farmers over the past number of weeks, dropping prices and slowing kills to manage the tight supplies. UK and EU prices are strong, beef supplies are tight with indications for further tightening of supplies here and across our key market in the coming weeks and months. He said factories must step up and do more to ensure farmers production costs are fully reflected in beef prices. This week steers are making from €5.15kg to €5.25kg while heifers range from €5.20kg to €5.30kg. Cull cows are making from €4.30kg to €5.00kg. Young Bulls R/U are ranging from €5.25kg to €5.50kg.
Beef Price Update 25/04/2024
Base Quotes Steer €5.15/5.25kg. Heifers €5.20/5.30kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €5.25/5.50Kg. Cows €4.30/5.00kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 16 (21.04.2024)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,703 | ▼-246 | 5% | 39,593 | ▼-1,652 |
| Bull | 672 | ▲59 | 2% | 7,376 | ▼-114 |
| Steer | 12,603 | ▼-198 | 37% | 195,227 | ▲5,196 |
| Cow | 8,019 | ▼-97 | 24% | 138,553 | ▲17,626 |
| Heifer | 9,907 | ▼-39 | 29% | 165,269 | ▲8,196 |
| Veal-V | 880 | ▼-82 | 3% | 16,390 | ▼-13,330 |
| Veal-Z | 32 | ▼-6 | 0% | 859 | ▲90 |
| Total | 33,816 | ▼-609 | 100% | 563,267 | ▲3,665 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 16 (21.04.2024)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 552 | ▼-2 | 546 | ▲0 | 535 | ▲0 | 503 | ▲2 |
| Heifers | 564 | ▼-1 | 551 | ▲0 | 540 | ▲0 | 492 | ▲3 |
| Y Bulls | 543 | ▲0 | 532 | ▲0 | 514 | ▼-4 | 504 | ▼-8 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 488 | ▲0 | 444 | ▲1 | 452 | ▲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 |
| 13/04/2024 | 493.4 | 494.8 | 492.5 | 494.8 | 482.8 | 480.9 | 380.2 |
| 20/04/2024 | 493.4 | 495.9 | 492.9 | 496.5 | 482.4 | 479.4 | 380.5 |
| Change | ▲0 | ▲1 | ▲0 | ▲2 | ▼-0 | ▼-2 | ▼-0 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 605.8 | 608.9 | 605.2 | 609.7 | 592.3 | 588.7 | 467.2 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 09.04.2022 | 01.04.2023 | 06.04.2024 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 5.17 | € 5.02 | € 5.04 |
| IE + Steers | € 4.78 | € 5.28 | € 5.19 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.19 | € 5.62 | € 5.69 |
Live Cattle Exports W/C 15.04.2024
Sheep Update
Acknowledging the launch of the awareness campaign for dog owners by Minister Heather Humphries, IFA Sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said the campaign is important to remind dog owners of their responsibilities. He said the campaign rightly identifies owners as those ultimately responsible for the actions and behaviour of their dogs, and for ensuring their dogs are under effective control at all times. “The irresponsible behaviour of some owners has and continues to cause devastation on sheep farms. This is unacceptable and must stop. IFA will continue with our policy of ‘No Dogs Allowed’ on or near lands where animals are kept as this is the only way to prevent the horrific attacks on sheep that occur across the country. “The awareness campaign launched by the Minister is certainly helpful, but in reality, we need much more robust enforcement on the ground of the obligations of dog owners,” he said.
Lamb Price Update 25/04/2024
Hogget’s €9.50/9.80/kg up to €9.80kg. Weights to 24kg. Spring Lamb €9.70/10.00kg. Weights to 21kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.10/4.40/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 16 (21.04.2024)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 28,901 | ▼-11,420 | 714,184 | ▼-66,878 |
| Spring Lambs | 1,925 | ▲586 | 13,819 | ▲2,723 |
| Ewes and Rams | 3,702 | ▼-605 | 77,380 | ▼-7,136 |
| Light Lambs | 2 | ▼-2 | 55 | ▼-26 |
| TOTAL | 34,530 | ▼-11,441 | 805,438 | ▼-71,317 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 16 (21.04.2024)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2023 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 861.14 | ▲43 | 675.73 | ▲188 |
| YTD Avg | 733.19 | ▲11 | 624.81 | ▲122 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 13/04/2024 | 856.6 | 850.7 | Old season lamb |
| 20/04/2024 | 866.1 | 860.5 | Old season lamb |
| Change | ▲10 | ▲10 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 1063.5 | 1056.6 |
Live Sheep Exports March 31st 2024
