Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said cattle prices have started to rise as supplies tighten further. He said throughput last week fell over 2,500 head on the previous week and was back over 13,550 head on the same week last year a trend which is projected to continue for the remainder of the year. Declan Hanrahan said factories have had to increase their quotes for cattle to secure supplies as farmers strongly pushed back against the lower quotes in recent weeks. He said farmers should sell hard as market conditions continue to strengthen. Cattle numbers in our key exports markets are tight creating real opportunity for factories to increase beef prices and return the full value of the market to finishers.
Beef Price Update 09/10/2025
Base Steer €7.20/7.40kg. Heifers €7.30/7.45kg. Higher deals for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €7.40/7.60Kg. Cows €6.60/7.40kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 40 (05.10.2025)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,009 | ▼-56 | 4% | 83,064 | ▼-1,525 |
| Bull | 391 | ▼-46 | 1% | 19,222 | ▼-3,860 |
| Steer | 13,312 | ▼-385 | 49% | 478,459 | ▼-40,771 |
| Cow | 5,311 | ▼-545 | 19% | 273,314 | ▼-56,836 |
| Heifer | 7,356 | ▼-1,085 | 27% | 384,321 | ▼-1,712 |
| Veal-V | 27 | ▼-12 | 0% | 3,038 | ▼-17,210 |
| Veal-Z | 9 | ▼-6 | 0% | 1,816 | ▲373 |
| Total | 27,415 | ▼-2,135 | 100% | 1,243,234 | ▲3,665 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 40 (05.10.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 762 | ▲2 | 755 | ▲4 | 742 | ▲6 | 714 | ▲6 |
| Heifers | 770 | ▼-5 | 760 | ▲3 | 755 | ▲6 | 716 | ▲4 |
| Y Bulls | 760 | ▲6 | 751 | ▲5 | 731 | ▲1 | 724 | ▲3 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 727 | ▲4 | 696 | ▲9 | 676 | ▲5 |
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 |
| 27/09/2025 | 650.1 | 652.2 | 645.7 | 651.2 | 638.3 | 635.3 | 542.1 |
| 04/10/2025 | 650.6 | 653.2 | 649.2 | 652.8 | 640.7 | 635.9 | 544.3 |
| Change | ▲1 | ▲1 | ▲0 | ▲2 | ▲2 | ▲1 | ▲2 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 798.9 | 802.1 | 797.2 | 801.6 | 786.7 | 780.8 | 668.3 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 23.09.2025 | 28.09.2025 | 27.09.2025 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 4.68 | € 5.05 | € 7.14 |
| IE + Steers | € 4.84 | € 5.26 | € 7.06 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.51 | € 6.05 | € 7.41 |
Live Cattle Exports 29th September
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said demand for lambs remains strong despite steady prices. He said factories remain very anxious for suitable factory fit lambs as they start to fill orders for the lucrative Christmas trade. Supplies remain tight with factory throughput continuing to fall which is back 20% or 395,867 head on 2024 levels. Factories are offering prices from €7.80kg to €8.10kg on weights to 22kg for lambs this week. The cull ewe trade also remains steady with prices offered from €4.40kg to €5.20kg. He said sheep meat produced across the EU and UK is also down this year and factories must stand firm and maximise returns from the marketplace.
Lamb Price Update 09/10/2025
Spring lambs €7.80/8.10kg. Weights to 22kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.40/5.20/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 40 (05.10.2025)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 209 | ▲35 | 759703 | ▼-137,476 |
| Spring Lambs | 36119 | ▲1,827 | 686010 | ▼-191,394 |
| Ewes and Rams | 5140 | ▼-994 | 149940 | ▼-67,019 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▼-1 | 130 | ▲22 |
| TOTAL | 41468 | ▲867 | 1595783 | ▼-395,867 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 40 (05.10.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2024 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 748.14 | ▲1 | 718.66 | ▲29 |
| YTD Avg | 847.95 | ▼-2 | 777.83 | ▲53 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 27/09/2025 | 684.1 | 682.5 | New season Lamb |
| 04/09/2025 | 680.6 | 678.3 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▼-4 | ▼-4 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 835.7 | 832.9 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports 02/07/2025
