Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said the relentless cuts to beef prices by factories must stop. He said the latest published Bord Bia Prime Export Benchmark price shows a gap of 45c/kg with our beef price from two weeks ago. This time lag in publishing important market information for farmers is unacceptable and Bord Bia must up their game. There is pressure in the marketplace, but the reality is the latest UK price is still 46c/kg above ours at the equivalent of €7.48/kg for R3 steers. The EU young bull price is running over 20c/kg above our prices, showing the capacity for stronger beef prices from our two most important markets. Factories must stand a lot stronger in the marketplace and return higher prices to farmers. Bord Bia need to start justifying the money farmers pay them to promote our beef against these cheap non-Quality Assured imports in the UK and EU markets. Irish beef farmers are producing beef to the highest standards in the world; have made significant investments in cattle; and we must be paid for the work we do and the investments we have made,” he said. He said beef farmers operate in a low-income vulnerable sector and do not have the capacity for this type of price volatility. Factories and Bord Bia cannot just sit back and allow Quality Assured Irish beef to be devalued and undermined in our key export markets by weak selling and increased volumes of cheap southern hemisphere beef that has been given access to our markets.
Beef Price Update 15/05/2026
Base Steer €6.50/6.70kg. Heifers €6.60/6.70kg. Higher deals for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €6.70/6.90Kg. Cows €6.00/6.60kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 19 (10.05.2026)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,679 | ▲167 | 6% | 44,212 | ▼-165 |
| Bull | 567 | ▼-63 | 2% | 8,206 | ▼-782 |
| Steer | 12,972 | ▲683 | 43% | 218,803 | ▼-25,491 |
| Cow | 5,518 | ▼-837 | 18% | 122,674 | ▼-28,453 |
| Heifer | 9,415 | ▼-384 | 31% | 188,571 | ▼-28,836 |
| Veal-V | 5 | ▼-36 | 0% | 487 | ▼-1,915 |
| Veal-Z | 12 | ▼-19 | 0% | 1,871 | ▲528 |
| Total | 30,168 | ▼-489 | 100% | 584,824 | ▼-85,114 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 19 (10.05.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 706 | ▼-3 | 698 | ▼-2 | 686 | ▼-1 | 655 | ▲0 |
| Heifers | 717 | ▼-1 | 704 | ▼-2 | 696 | ▼-2 | 647 | ▼-1 |
| Y Bulls | 706 | ▲3 | 690 | ▼-2 | 670 | ▼-2 | 652 | ▼-4 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 657 | ▼-7 | 623 | ▲1 | 610 | ▲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 |
| 02/05/2026 | 626.4 | 630.1 | 624.2 | 630.9 | 613.4 | 610.1 | 531.7 |
| 09/05/2026 | 616.4 | 620.5 | 617.4 | 622.2 | 603.2 | 601.5 | 524.1 |
| Change | ▼-10 | ▼-10 | ▲0 | ▼-9 | ▼-10 | ▼-9 | ▼-8 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 756.9 | 761.9 | 758.1 | 764.0 | 740.7 | 738.6 | 643.5 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 27.04.2024 | 26.04.2025 | 25.04.2026 |
| EU + Y Bulls R3 | € 5.02 | € 6.45 | €6.98 |
| IE + Steers R3 | € 5.21 | € 7.56 | € 6.69 |
| UK + Steers R3 | € 5.70 | € 8.21 | €7.22 |
Live Cattle Exports 27th April
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said factories remain anxious for lambs as throughput continues to drop. He said hogget throughput is running 9% behind the same period in 2025. Spring lamb throughput fell over 2,700 head for the latest week with the overall kill back over 20,000 head to date. This increased demand has been extended to mart sales where prices are frequently above factory quotes driving by strong export demand and the lower availability of supplies at sales. Demand has been further lifted by the upcoming Eid-al-Adha festival commencing on May 26th. Factories are offering deals for hogget’s from €9.30kg to €9.60kg on weights to 23kg. Spring lambs are making from €10.00kg to €10.30kg. Cull ewe prices are ranging from €5.30kg to €5.50kg. Adrian Gallagher said farmers should sell lambs as they become fit, shop around and sell hard as supplies of suitable lambs are tight.
Lamb Price Update 15/04/2026
Hoggets €9.30/9.60kg. Weights to 23kg. Spring Lamb €10.00/10.30kg. Weights to 21kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €5.30/5.50/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 19 (10.05.2026)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 21229 | ▼-2,146 | 611652 | ▼-59,084 |
| Spring Lambs | 6209 | ▲2,410 | 48872 | ▲11,081 |
| Ewes and Rams | 4332 | ▼-130 | 856552 | ▲798,281 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 0 | ▼-78 |
| TOTAL | 31770 | ▲134 | 746176 | ▼-20,700 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 19 (10.05.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2025 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 919.92 | ▼-6 | 871.4 | ▲49 |
| YTD Avg | 847.95 | ▲6 | 877.94 | ▼-59 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 02/05/2026 | 847.0 | 837.3 | New season Lamb |
| 09/05/2026 | 842.8 | 836.9 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▼-4 | ▼-0 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 1034.9 | 1027.6 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports
