Price of cull cows falls as kill numbers break 40,000

Steers Heifers Cull Cows Young Bulls LAST week saw the cattle kill tip over the 40,000 mark for the first time this year, the final figure being 40,022.

Prices yesterday morning appeared to be holding as they have done for nearly a month, with base prices for bullocks and heifers of €3.75/ kg and €3.85/kg reported.

However, speculation is growing that factory bosses may make a concerted effort to further ease bases.

What has been pulled is the price of cull cows, with reports last week that they were cut a further 20c/kg in some plants.

While the general belief among those with cattle to sell is that the continuing high numbers are down to a surge in the number of cull cows coming on stream, figures released by Bord Bia for the week ending November 4 show that the biggest increase that week over the same week 12 months ago came in the numbers of bullocks and heifers that went through the system.

The bullock kill for the week was 13,965, up 462 on 2017. Heifer numbers were up 627 at 8,842, while cull cows rose the least. Cow numbers were up by just 207 to 7,933.

None of this is good news and there are reports that it is now taking up to two weeks to get stock killed.

Some plants are telling men with fit, in-spec, under30-month cattle that they will have to wait and possibly lose their quality assurance bonus as a result.

I’ve known better Novembers in the cattle business. One well-placed commentator from the northwest told me customers at his mart were now