Beef trade: Cull cow, heifer and young bull prices back

According to the Livestock and Meat Commission, beef factories across Northern Ireland (NI) pulled cull cow, heifer, and young bull prices this week.

Its weekly market outlook report outlined that despite this “mixed performance” steer, prices were up slightly on the previous week.

Quotes for in spec U-3 grade prime cattle ranged from 386- 394p/kg this week.

The commission expects quotes to range from 388-394p/kg early next week.

NI beef prices: 

• The average NI steer price was up 1.5p/kg to 393.3p/kg from the previous week, while the R3 steer price increased by 1.2p/kg to 403.9p/kg.
• The average heifer price in NI fell 0.9p/kg to 396.2p/kg, while the R3 heifer price was back 1.3p/kg to 403.9p/kg. In the same week last year, the R3 heifer price was 374.4p/kg, 29.5p/kg behind current levels.
• The average NI young bull price was down by 1.8p/kg to 375.8p/kg, while the R3 young bull price increased by 0.4p/kg to 387.9p/kg.
• Meanwhile, the NI cow trade “came under pressure,” with prices back across all grades from the previous week. The average NI cow price was back 3.8p/kg to 267.7p/kg, with the O3 cow price back 4.6p/kg to 296.6p/kg.

Throughput

Throughput of prime cattle in NI plants last week amounted to 7,393 head. This is back slightly from the previous week.

However, this increased 593 head from the 6,800 prime cattle that plants processed during the same week last year.

Cow throughput in NI totalled 2,640, back 241 head from the previous week.

In the same week last year, 2,501 cows were processed locally.

Exports and imports

Prime cattle imports from ROI for direct slaughter last week totalled 177 head. The LMC reported a decrease of 160 head from the previous week.

A further 98 cows were imported from ROI for direct slaughter in NI plants last week.

Meanwhile, exports from NI to ROI comprised six prime cattle and 47 cows. Besides, no cattle were exported from NI to GB for direct slaughter.

GB beef prices

• According to the LMC, the average steer price in GB “increased marginally” by 0.1p/kg to 413.6p/kg, while the R3 steer price increased by 0.8p/kg to 422.3p/kg. “This puts the differential in R3 steer prices between NI and GB to 18.4p/kg.” In the same week in 2020, the R3 steer price differential was 6.8p/kg.
• The average heifer price in GB was back 0.7p/kg to 410.9p/kg, while the R3 heifer price was back 0.6p/kg to 421.0p/kg. “This places the differential in R3 heifer prices last week between NI and GB at 17.1p/kg. In the corresponding week in 2020, it was 7.0p/kg.”
• The GB cow trade “remained under pressure”. According to the LMC, the average cow price back was 0.9p/kg to 256.7p/kg. “The O3 cow price was back 1.8p/kg to 282.3p/kg, 14.3p/kg behind the same price in NI,” the LMC concluded.

Other articles:

• ‘Up to €4.45/kg’ for heifers as factories ‘struggle’ to get suitable cattle

See more beef price updates.