Base quotes from the major NI processing plants have slightly firmed this week, according to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC).
Quotes ranged from 356-362p/kg for in spec U-3 grade prime cattle and are expected to range from 358-366p/kg next
Quotes for good quality O+3 grade cows came under some pressure and ended this week ranging from 245-260p/kg.
Throughput
Prime cattle throughput in local plants totalled 7,553 head last week, up 135 head from the previous week. Throughput of prime cattle has totalled 286,898 head for 2020 to date, a 2% decrease on the corresponding period in 2019 when 293,057 prime cattle were processed locally.
Cow throughput in local plants last week totalled 2,664 head, up slightly from the previous week. This brings the total cow throughput in 2020 to 84,959 cows, a three per cent increase when compared to the same period in 2019.
ROI imports
Imports from ROI for direct slaughter last week included 235 prime cattle and 83 cows. This brings the total prime cattle imports from ROI for direct slaughter in 2020 to 12,671 head. This is an increase of 3,720 head when compared to the same period in 2019.
Meanwhile, exports from NI for direct slaughter in ROI last week consisted of 85 cows. This brings the total prime cattle exports from NI to ROI for direct slaughter to 232 head during 2020 to date, a decrease of 459 head when compared to the corresponding period in 2019.
Prices
The LMC noted the average steer price in NI last week was up 1.3p/kg to 360.4p/kg while the R3 steer price was up by 2.3p/kg to 369.6p/kg.
The average NI heifer price last week increased by 2.3p/kg to 362.9p/kg. The R3 heifer price held steady from the previous week at 369.6p/kg. The average young bull price in NI decreased by 2.8p/kg to 344.9p/kg. R3 young bull prices were back half-a-penny from last week to 357p/kg.
Meanwhile, last week the O3 cow price in NI reported an increase of 1.7p/kg to 277.5p/kg with the average cow price increasing by 2.8p/kg to 249.9p/kg.
The average steer price in GB last week held steady from the previous week at 368.3p/kg while the R3 steer price increased by 1.4p/kg to 376.3p/kg.
There was some variation across the regions with R3 steer prices increasing in Scotland (+2.8p/kg), Northern England (+2.3p/kg). The Midlands and Wales (+3.6p/kg) while a decline was reported in Southern England (-2.2p/kg).
The average heifer price in GB last week “generally held steady” from the previous week at 367.7p/kg. The R3 heifer price increased by almost 2p/kg to 376.2p/kg.
Across the regions, the R3 heifer price reported the strongest increase of 6.4p/kg in Scotland. Northern England and the Midlands both reported increases of just over 1p/kg from the previous week.
ROI
“In ROI last week, the R3 steer price was back by just under a penny to the equivalent of 328.2p/kg from the previous week.”
“This is 41.4p/kg below the R3 steer price in NI last week. The R3 heifer price in ROI held steady from the previous week with an equivalent price of 332.4p/kg, 37.2p/kg below the R3 heifer price in NI last week.”
