Factories up 10c/kg as supplies tighten

Store cattle ‘shocking dear’ compared to factory prices for beef

FACTORY prices rose 10c/ kg over the last week on the back of stronger demand and tighter supplies of finished stock.

Up to €4/kg was quoted yesterday for heifers, while bullocks were making €3.903.95/kg.

IFA national livestock chairman Angus Woods said tighter numbers and the change in the weather have left agents and factories hunting for finished stock, and he urged farmers to battle for the best possible price.

Woods said young bulls were making €3.90/3.95/kg for U grades, €3.80/3.85 for Rs and €3.65 for O grade stock. He said a lot of farmers selling bulls are on a flat price of €3.90/kg this week for R and U grades.

In contrast, the marts trade was mixed, with the poor weather taking its toll early last week when prices for fat cattle were back €20-30/hd. However, small numbers in many of the marts in the midlands and southeast resulted in a strong trade.

Matt Malone of Central Auctions said summer graziers were very active in Nenagh Mart last week, with “nice quality” Hereford and Continental cattle in particularly strong demand.

David Quinn of Carnew Mart said competition between spe- cialist beef finishers and summer graziers for forward store bullocks and heifers resulted in a very brisk trade.

He said store cattle were “shocking dear” relative to the factory price for beef, and suggested that specialist finishers had to be getting bonuses above quoted processor prices to justify what was currently being paid for stock.

Up to €700 with the €1/kg was paid by farmer buyers for 400kg store bullocks. Friesian store bullocks were making €250 to €350 with the weight.

The trade for good-quality continental-type beef heifers was up €20/hd to €40/hd, on the back of strong competition between factory buyers and wholesalers. Continentals sold for €700 to €900 along with their weight, while Angus and Hereford heifers made €550 to €650 over.

Increased buying of stock by exporters had also helped drive on weanling prices, Angus Woods maintained.

Although the live exporters were present at Carnew, David Quinn said they struggled to compete with farmer buyers and to get suitable stock. However, they were willing to pay up to €3/kg for light weanling bulls.