Beef Update
IFA Livestock chairman Brendan Golden said market conditions for beef should be favourable for the remainder of the year as markets and buying patterns start to return to more normal activity. Supplies of finished cattle will be tight for the rest of the year with numbers back to-date by over 67,000 head with the annual kill predicted to be back a further 50,000 head by year end to a total of 110 – 120,000 less slaughter cattle available than 2020. Strong performance of the live export trade to Northern Ireland for store and finished cattle, which is expected to continue into the back end, is adding vital competition for farmers and ensuring numbers of finished cattle will be tight up to year end. 42,655 cattle have been exported to NI this year already which is an increase of 13,896 on 2020.
Beef Price Update 29/07/21
Prices steady. Steer base €4.25/4.35kg. Heifers €4.30/4.40kg. Higher deals larger lots. Y Bulls R/U €4.30/4.40kg. Cows €3.60/4.00kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 29 (19.07.2021)
| Animal | Number | Change prev. wk. | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 2,147 | ▲100 | 7% | 81,993 | ▼-13,765 |
| Bull | 646 | ▲102 | 2% | 14,856 | ▼-4,009 |
| Steer | 14,115 | ▲118 | 43% | 331,067 | ▼-15,418 |
| Cow | 7381 | ▼-895 | 22% | 195,160 | ▼-1,646 |
| Heifer | 8,650 | ▼-59 | 26% | 263,069 | ▼-28,946 |
| Veal-V | 30 | ▲24 | 0% | 20,611 | ▼-5,812 |
| Veal-Z | 25 | ▲3 | 0% | 1,044 | ▲97 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 29 (19.07.2021)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev. wk. | R3 | Change prev. wk. | O3 | Change prev. wk. | P+3 | Change prev. wk. |
| Steers | 460 | ▲0 | 450 | ▲0 | 437 | ▲1 | 408 | ▲0 |
| Heifers | 468 | ▲0 | 456 | ▲1 | 447 | ▲2 | 398 | ▼-4 |
| Y Bulls | 446 | ▼-5 | 434 | ▼-3 | 416 | ▲1 | 407 | ▲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 |
| 17.07.2021 | 408 | 411 | 408.6 | 411.4 | 403.9 | 403.1 | 310.9 |
| 24.07.2021 | 411.6 | 413.9 | 411.2 | 412.8 | 405.4 | 402.7 | 312 |
| Change | ▲4 | ▲3 | ▲3 | ▲1 | ▲2 | ▼-0 | ▲1 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 511.4 | 514.2 | 510.9 | 512.8 | 503.6 | 500.3 | 387.6 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 13.07.2019 | 18.07.2020 | 17.07.2021 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 3.48 | € 3.48 | € 3.84 |
| IE + Steers | € 3.59 | € 3.71 | € 4.26 |
| UK + Steers | € 3.70 | € 4.04 | € 4.77 |
Live Exports W/C 12.07.2021
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep committee chairman Sean Dennehy said the outlook for lamb prices is positive. He said significant numbers of lambs were moved in the past few weeks to meet demand for the Eid festival. In addition, he said farmers have moved lambs at lighter weights this year with average carcase weights back .5kg for the year. This has reduced the volume of sheep meat in the market place, a situation replicated in the UK and ensures there will not be a glut of lambs to come out. Breeding sales will be starting and combined with the strong store trade will provide competition to factories for lambs. Farmers should sell hard and continue to move lambs as they become fit to maximise returns.
Lamb Price Update 29/07/21
Spring Lamb €6.20/6.40/kg. Higher deals groups and larger lots. Good Demand. Sell Hard. Ewes €3.30/3.60kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 29 (19.07.2021)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 215 | ▼-227 | 695,027 | ▼-91,705 |
| Spring Lambs | 55,216 | ▼-16,412 | 552,805 | ▲17,846 |
| Ewes and Rams | 8,751 | ▲2,890 | 168,944 | ▼-18,915 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 105 | ▲63 |
| TOTAL | 64,182 | ▼-13,749 | 1,416,881 | ▼-92,711 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 29 (19.07.2021)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Changeprev. wk | 2020 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 615.89 | ▼-17 | 531.92 | ▲84 |
| YTD Avg | 681.51 | ▼-2 | 528.84 | ▲153 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 17/06/2021 | 548.7 | 548.5 | New season |
| 24/07/2021 | 558.1 | 560.5 | New season |
| Change | ▲9 | ▲12 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 693.4 | 696.3 |
