Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said details of the suckler cow scheme for 2025, funded by the national exchequer, have been confirmed today in a meeting with the Department of Agriculture. When combined with the SCEP, the scheme brings total direct supports for suckler cows up to €225/cow for the first 22 cows. Declan Hanrahan said bringing payments on suckler cows to €225/cow is important, but this payment does not come without costs for participating farmers. The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon must make good on his election promises to bring total suckler cow supports to a minimum of €300/cow and remove the ‘cost incurred income forgone’ criteria,” he said. Declan Hanrahan said the full payment of €75/cow will be based on farmers carrying out three measures: meal feeding for €35/cow; vaccinations for €15/cow; and a choice of carrying out three silage samples or two faecal egg counts for the farm for €25/cow. The meal feeding measure will be compulsory, with completion of the other two actions voluntary. Farmers should aim to carry out three measures to maximise draw down in the scheme as the options available are good practical farm practices. Declan Hanrahan said it was disappointing the Department of Agriculture retained an upper limit in the scheme, acknowledging it has increased by five cows to 45. He said the scheme is expected to open for applications in early August. This is important funding for suckler farmers, all of whom should consider joining the scheme. Those carrying out some or all of the actions before it opens should just keep a record of the actions completed.
Beef Price Update 17/04/2025
Base Steer €7.60/7.80kg. Heifers €7.70/7.90kg. Flat prices up to €8.00kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €7.40/7.70Kg. Cows €6.70/7.50kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 15 (13.04.2025)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,678 | ▲133 | 5% | 37,832 | ▼-58 |
| Bull | 549 | ▲23 | 2% | 6,753 | ▲49 |
| Steer | 14,336 | ▼-112 | 40% | 193,826 | ▲11,202 |
| Cow | 7,947 | ▲467 | 22% | 122,545 | ▼-7,989 |
| Heifer | 10,988 | ▼-1,218 | 31% | 176,225 | ▲20,863 |
| Veal-V | 166 | ▲149 | 0% | 2,252 | ▼-13,258 |
| Veal-Z | 53 | ▼-1 | 0% | 1,201 | ▲374 |
| Total | 35,717 | ▲3,367 | 100% | 540,634 | ▲3,665 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 15 (13.04.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 818 | ▲6 | 813 | ▲8 | 808 | ▲9 | 773 | ▲2 |
| Heifers | 827 | ▲10 | 815 | ▲7 | 808 | ▲5 | 764 | ▲3 |
| Y Bulls | 811 | ▲7 | 806 | ▲9 | 786 | ▲9 | 768 | ▲17 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 762 | ▲6 | 723 | ▲9 | 706 | ▲4 |
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 |
| 05/04/2025 | 696.6 | 700.2 | 695.4 | 698.9 | 679.6 | 683.2 | 534.1 |
| 12/04/2025 | 704.6 | 707.1 | 702.2 | 706.9 | 692.7 | 694.5 | 541.3 |
| Change | ▲8 | ▲7 | ▲4 | ▲8 | ▲13 | ▲11 | ▲7 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 885.8 | 888.9 | 882.8 | 888.7 | 870.8 | 873.1 | 680.5 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 31.12.2022 | 30.12.2023 | 04.01.2025 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 5.21 | € 4.97 | € 5.61 |
| IE + Steers | € 5.00 | € 5.03 | € 5.64 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.12 | € 5.64 | € 6.65 |
Live Cattle Exports 7th April
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said factories remain anxious for hogget’s despite attempts to weaken prices. He said prices in our key export markets remain strong and factories should be doing all in their power to return strong prices for at a very expensive time of the year. Hogget throughput remains extremely tight as number continue to drop off on a weekly basis in comparison to the same period last year. He said hogget throughput is back over 140,000 head and is expected to decline further in the coming weeks. Factories are offering deals from €9.00kg to €9.30kg for hoggets today. Spring lambs are ranging from €9.50kg to €9.80kg with higher deals for groups and larger lots. Cull ewes are making from €5.50kg to €5.80kg in general. Adrian Gallagher said factories must stand firm in the market place and return prices that reflect the key markers we are selling into.
Lamb Price Update 17/04/2025
Hoggets €9.00kg/9.30kg. Spring lambs €9.50kg to €9.80kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €5.50/5.80/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 15 (13.04.2025)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 40819 | ▲965 | 545061 | ▼-140,222 |
| Spring Lambs | 1221 | ▲887 | 19050 | ▲7,156 |
| Ewes and Rams | 2545 | ▲303 | 47154 | ▼-26,524 |
| Light Lambs | 6 | ▲3 | 63 | ▲10 |
| TOTAL | 44591 | ▲2,158 | 611328 | ▼-159,580 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 15 (13.04.2025)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2024 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 896.16 | ▲8 | 877 | ▲26 |
| YTD Avg | 876.28 | ▲2 | 751.84 | ▲126 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 05/04/2025 | 732.6 | 724.3 | New season Lamb |
| 12/04/2025 | 720.5 | 710.4 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▼-12 | ▼-14 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 884.7 | 872.3 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports 2025
