Beef Update
IFA will hold a national protest in Newbridge next Sat at 2.30pm to escalate the campaign for a new Chair of Bord Bia. Farmers will assemble at the office of Minister Martin Heydon to drive home the message that the Chair of Bord Bia has to step down. The protest will include tractors and machinery and farmers on foot. IFA President Francie Gorman said the proposal emerged from last night’s meeting in Athy, which was attended by over 800 farmers. The overriding view at the meeting was that Minister Heydon is dragging his feet and doesn’t seem to understand the deep frustration that exists across the farming community,” he said. IFA has been protesting at Bord Bia since Jan 26th and our proposals to bring about a resolution have been stonewalled at every turn by the Minister and others. Farmers who spoke last night felt they have no choice but to confront the Minister at his constituency office in Newbridge. Minister Heydon is hellbent on protecting the Chair of Bord Bia and in the process he is doing huge damage to Bord Bia. We will use Saturday to direct farmer anger at the Minister’s door,” he said.
Beef Price Update 26/02/2026
Base Steer €7.00/7.20kg. Heifers €7.10/7.30kg. Higher deals for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €7.20/7.50Kg. Cows €6.30/7.00kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 08 (22.02.2026)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 2,687 | ▼-296 | 8% | 24,476 | ▼-136 |
| Bull | 489 | ▲140 | 2% | 2,455 | ▼-312 |
| Steer | 11,395 | ▲375 | 36% | 82,072 | ▼-14,879 |
| Cow | 6,688 | ▼-140 | 21% | 50,441 | ▼-15,474 |
| Heifer | 10,328 | ▲379 | 33% | 78,745 | ▼-15,038 |
| Veal-V | 30 | ▲23 | 0% | 124 | ▼-363 |
| Veal-Z | 72 | ▼-54 | 0% | 1,118 | ▲282 |
| Total | 31,689 | ▲427 | 100% | 239,431 | ▼-45,920 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 08 (22.02.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 748 | ▼-2 | 740 | ▼-2 | 731 | ▼-1 | 700 | ▲0 |
| Heifers | 760 | ▲0 | 747 | ▼-2 | 741 | ▼-2 | 693 | ▼-6 |
| Y Bulls | 743 | ▼-4 | 734 | ▼-1 | 717 | ▲1 | 706 | ▼-2 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 700 | ▼-1 | 657 | ▼-3 | 646 | ▼-1 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| Steers | Steers | Heifers | Heifers | Y bull | Y bull | Cow | |
| p/kg | R3 | R4L | R3 | R4L | R3 | R4L | -O4L |
| 14/02/2026 | 642.2 | 644.6 | 643 | 645.7 | 626.5 | 626.5 | 536.8 |
| 21/02/2026 | 642.0 | 646.2 | 641.9 | 646.2 | 628.2 | 630.4 | 537.4 |
| Change | ▼-0 | ▲2 | ▲0 | ▲1 | ▲2 | ▲4 | ▲1 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 788.3 | 793.5 | 788.2 | 793.5 | 771.4 | 774.1 | 659.9 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 03.02.2024 | 15.02.2025 | 14.02.2026 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 5.04 | € 6.02 | €7.39 |
| IE + Steers | € 5.16 | € 6.30 | € 7.10 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.77 | € 7.47 | €7.34 |
Live Cattle Exports 16th February
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chair Adrian Gallagher said the behaviour of sheep factories on price in recent weeks is unacceptable, completely at odds with the realities of the marketplace and simply not good enough. He said prices in the UK have risen by 9p/kg in the last week and have increased by 35p/kg since the beginning of February to the equivalent of €8.65/kg in recent weeks, creating an unacceptable and indefensible difference with our prices. The IFA Sheep Chair said across the continent it is a similar story with prices in France hitting almost €10/kg and prices in Spain well over €11/kg as markets react to tight supplies of sheep meat and demand from the marketplace. Adrian Gallagher said throughput in sheep factories is back over 800,000 head since 2023 and will not stop there if factories persist in refusing to return the full value of the market for sheep meat to farmers. He said the drop in numbers should be a wakeup call to the factories. Farmers will not continue producing lambs for returns of €2/kg and more below prices in some of our main markets. The IFA Sheep Chair said there is no market justification for the current behaviour of factories and the prices they are offering farmers. Supplies are tight, demand is strong and prices in our key markets are up to €2/kg above ours. Factories can and must do more for farmers.
Lamb Price Update 26/02/2026
Lambs €7.80/8.05kg. Weights to 23kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.40/5.00/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 08 (22.02.2026)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 38012 | ▲610 | 250312 | ▼-8,486 |
| Spring Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 32697 | ▲15,419 |
| Ewes and Rams | 3123 | ▼-675 | 25909 | ▼-540 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 0 | ▼-16 |
| TOTAL | 41135 | ▼-65 | 308918 | ▲6,377 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 08 (22.02.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2025 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 747.94 | ▲2 | 886.75 | ▼-139 |
| YTD Avg | 847.95 | ▼-0 | 878.99 | ▼-129 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 14/02/2026 | 716.0 | 713.0 | New season Lamb |
| 21/02/2026 | 725.3 | 723.8 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▲9 | ▲11 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 890.6 | 888.8 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports 2025
