Young bull prices hold firm despite factory blitz

Steers Heifers Cull Cows Young Bulls AT the start of last week the price range for bullocks was from €3.95-4.05/kg with €4.05/ kg generally accepted as the baseline for better stock.

But as the week wore on those with cattle to sell sensed factories could not stop the current price pull which started at the end of June –when the bullock base price was €4.15/kgjust because they had arrived at €4.00kg.

Reports suggest that farmer confidence in price began to waver about Wednesday and by Friday numbers of bullocks coming off of grass were being bought at €3.95/kg.

The heifer also fell in line with the bullock with her quote hovering somewhere from €4.00-4.05/kg.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom with young bull and cull cow prices appearing as yet to be unaffected by the current price squeeze.

Looking at the cows first, prices were maintained last week at the ongoing rates of €3.60/kg for Rs, €3.40/kg for Os and €3.30/kg for P+s with other Ps back to €3.00/kg.

Bull price maintained €4.00/ kg as the R grade base for under 16 month stock, while bulls between 16 and 22 months continued to see Us on €4.10/ kg back to €3.90-3.95/kg for Os with Rs on €4.00/kg.

The reason both classes remain largely unaffected by the factories current blitz on bullocks and heifers is down to numbers.

Cow numbers are up 10pc for the year to date but are behind last year’s weekly figures for July.

Factory slaughterings of bulls are back over 7pc on 2016.