Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Read our privacy policy here for more details.
Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Beef & Sheep UpdateCattleCattle PricesSheepSheep Prices

Beef & Sheep Update 7th February

Cattle and Sheep in field, Wicklow, Ireland

Beef Update

IFA livestock chairman Declan Hanrahan said supplies of beef is failing to meet demand in the UK and across the EU, driving beef prices in these key outlets for Irish beef. He said prices in these markets continue to strengthen week on week keeping the Prime Export Benchmark price above our prices and providing the capacity for on-going strengthening of beef prices here. Declan Hanrahan said the main driver of the trade is the UK, where beef prices rose by over 60c/kg since the beginning of the year and by almost 18c/kg in the past week pushing UK beef prices to over €1/kg above our price. The IFA livestock chairman said the strength of the UK market in particular shows the capacity that exists for further significant beef price rises here and the opportunity that exists for factories to return higher prices to farmers. He said factories simply can’t get enough cattle to fill the demand and are freely doing deals 20c/kg and more above initial quotes to close out deals. He said it is important farmers are fully aware of the strength of the market place and shop around to get the best price as prices are rising almost daily. The IFA chairman said €7/kg base is now the target for beef farmers with some larger suppliers already closing out deals at this price and with UK prices the equivalent of €7.63/kg there is plenty of capacity in the market place.

Beef Price Update 06/02/2025

Base Steer €6.10/6.20kg. Heifers €6.20/6.30kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Flat prices €6.60/6.80kg. Y Bulls R/U €6.30/6.50Kg. Cows €5.30/6.00kg

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (02.02.2025)

AnimalNumberChange prev wk% of totalYTDYTD Change
Y Bulls3,612▲4729%16,231▲349
Bull432▲1631%1,434▼-177 
Steer12,970▲1,53933%58,539▲49
Cow9,721▲1,80325%38,508▼-6,080 
Heifer12174▲69631%56,782▲3,721
Veal-V28▼-6 0%149▲100
Veal-Z176▲490%552▲391
Total39,113▲4,716100%172,195▲3,665

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (02.02.2025)

c/kg (Incl. VAT)U3Change prev wkR3Change prev wkO3Change prev wkP+3Change prev wk
Steers633▲0622▲0614▲0585▲0
Heifers636▲0626▲0621▲0578▲0
Y Bulls632▲0618▲0602▲0603▲0
Cows0▲0577▲0539▲0521▲0

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

 SteersSteersHeifersHeifersY bullY bullCow
p/kgR3R4LR3R4LR3R4L-O4L
04/01/2025597.2601.6595598.3580.9577.2445.7
01/02/2025612.9617.2611.2615.6593.0588.9458.4
Change▲16▲16▲4▲17▲12▲12▲13
Price in c/kg (Incl VAT)770.5775.9768.4773.9745.5740.3576.3

Euro Price for the Most Recent Week  (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)

Country & Type31.12.202230.12.202304.01.2025
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

Source: Bord Bia

Sheep Update

IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said hogget prices have steadied this week but more is needed from the market. He said supplies of suitably fleshed lambs are tight on the ground and factories are very anxious for lambs offering deals above quotes to secure supplies. He said prices of €8.80kg to €9.10kg are available to sellers this week with higher deals for groups and larger lots. Cull ewes are making from €4.80kg to €5.10kg. To date total throughput is back over 73,000 head and with no surge of lambs expected in the coming week in the lead up to the two major religious festivals Easter and Ramadan prices are expected to stay strong.  He said farmers should be mindful of the mart trade where prices for heavy fleshed lambs are exceeding factory prices in cases. Adrian Gallagher said factories are anxious for lambs and farmers should sell hard while moving lambs as they become fit.

Lamb Price Update 06/02/2025

Lambs €8.80kg/9.10kg. Weights to 24kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.80/5.10/kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (02.02.2025)

AnimalFigureChangeYTDYTD Change
Lambs/Hoggets31470▼-2,420 150343▼-71,755 
Spring Lambs0▲017278▲8,707
Ewes and Rams3766▲72615220▼-10,440 
Light Lambs2▼-2 9▼-4 
TOTAL35238▼-1,696 182850▼-73,492 

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (02.02.2025)

c/kg (Incl. VAT)This week Change prev. wk2024Change prev. yr
National Avg Price755.07▼-28 630.58▲183
YTD Avg774.29▼-4 662.54▲211

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

 R3L Overall SQQ*Type of lamb
25/01/2025738.4731.2New season Lamb
01/02/2025716.6710.0New season Lamb
Change▼-22 ▼-21  
Price in c/kg (Incl VAT)879.9871.81

Live Sheep Exports 2024

Source: Bord Bia

Related Articles