Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chairman Declan Hanrahan said cattle prices remain steady, but more is needed from the market. He said the prime export benchmark price is now 18c/kg ahead of the prime Irish composite price and factories must move to close the gap immediately. Uk beef prices have remained steady over the past number of weeks reflecting the demand for beef in one of our main export markets. He said despite the lower quotes available factories are paying 10c/kg to 15c/kg above these prices to secure cattle. The mart trade for finished cattle remains strong with prices comparable to and above what factories are offering in cases. This remains a viable alternative to sellers unable to secure the higher prices. Factories are offering deals on steers from €6.30kg to €6.50kg and heifers from €640kg to €6.60kg. Young bulls R and U grades are ranging from €6.40kg to €6.70kg. Cull cow prices are making from €5.80kg up to €6.40kg for well fleshed cows. Declan Hanrahan said cattle numbers in our key export markets are low, demand remains strong and prices continue to trade above ours providing ample opportunity for factories to move on prices further.IFA Livestock Chairman Declan Hanrahan said cattle prices remain steady, but more is needed from the market. He said the prime export benchmark price is now 18c/kg ahead of the prime Irish composite price and factories must move to close the gap immediately. Uk beef prices have remained steady over the past number of weeks reflecting the demand for beef in one of our main export markets. He said despite the lower quotes available factories are paying 10c/kg to 15c/kg above these prices to secure cattle. The mart trade for finished cattle remains strong with prices comparable to and above what factories are offering in cases. This remains a viable alternative to sellers unable to secure the higher prices. Factories are offering deals on steers from €6.30kg to €6.50kg and heifers from €640kg to €6.60kg. Young bulls R and U grades are ranging from €6.40kg to €6.70kg. Cull cow prices are making from €5.80kg up to €6.40kg for well fleshed cows. Declan Hanrahan said cattle numbers in our key export markets are low, demand remains strong and prices continue to trade above ours providing ample opportunity for factories to move on prices further.
Beef Price Update 21/08/2026
Base Steer €6.30/6.50kg. Heifers €6.40/6.60kg. Higher deals for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €6.40/6.70Kg. Cows €5.80/6.40kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 33 (16.08.2026)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,766 | ▲131 | 6% | 73,842 | ▼-1,438 |
| Bull | 651 | ▲81 | 2% | 16,379 | ▲192 |
| Steer | 14,263 | ▲1,058 | 45% | 373,496 | ▼-13,098 |
| Cow | 6,498 | ▼-109 | 20% | 216,094 | ▼-19,179 |
| Heifer | 8,701 | ▼-56 | 27% | 304,141 | ▼-24,755 |
| Veal-V | 126 | ▼-4 | 0% | 1,519 | ▼-1,351 |
| Veal-Z | 15 | ▲5 | 0% | 2,163 | ▲456 |
| Total | 32,020 | ▲1,106 | 100% | 987,634 | ▼-59,173 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 33 (16.08.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 685 | ▼-7 | 674 | ▼-7 | 663 | ▼-8 | 636 | ▼-9 |
| Heifers | 699 | ▼-7 | 682 | ▼-6 | 672 | ▼-8 | 633 | ▼-3 |
| Y Bulls | 691 | ▼-2 | 673 | ▼-6 | 654 | ▼-10 | 648 | ▲4 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 639 | ▼-7 | 609 | ▼-6 | 594 | ▼-10 |
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 |
| 08/08/2026 | 614.5 | 615.7 | 612.6 | 619.1 | 603.8 | 604.4 | 513.2 |
| 15/08/2026 | 614.6 | 617.7 | 614.0 | 620.3 | 603.6 | 607.7 | 502.8 |
| Change | ▲0 | ▲2 | ▲0 | ▲1 | ▼-0 | ▲3 | -10 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 754.7 | 758.5 | 753.9 | 761.7 | 741.2 | 746.2 | 617.4 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 17.08.2024 | 16.08.2025 | 15.08.2026 |
| EU + Y Bulls R3 | 5.10 | 6.82 | 6.36 |
| IE + Steers R3 | 5.02 | 7.57 | 6.45 |
| UK + Steers R3 | 5.80 | 7.50 | 7.11 |
Live cattle exports 3rd August
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Committee Chair Adrian Gallagher has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, to come forward with supports for sheep farmers impacted by the drought conditions in parts of the country. He said that while the worst effects of the drought are predominantly in the east of the country, the impacts are being felt throughout the sheep sector. “Sheep farmers who sell store lambs depend on farmers in the east of the country to buy their lambs, and unfortunately these are the farms suffering most from drought conditions and limited grass supplies.” Adrian Gallagher said farmers who ordinarily sell their lambs as stores at this time of year need direct financial support to buy feed, allowing them to retain these lambs on farm until conditions and demand improve from farmers in the drought-affected regions of the country. “Limited grass supplies in these areas have also impacted breeding in lowland flocks and will, no doubt, feed into the lamb crop next year, with farmers unable to flush their ewes as normal in advance of breeding.” He said these farms also need immediate, direct financial support to offset the increased feed costs they are and will incur over the coming weeks as breeding kicks off in earnest. “I’m also calling on the Minister to remove the retention requirement in the Sheep Improvement Scheme, allowing farmers who have completed their scheme actions to dispose of any surplus ewes they may have.
Lamb Price Update 21/08/2026
Spring lamb €8.00/8.30kg. Weights to 22kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €5.00/5.40/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 33 (16.08.2026)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 142 | ▼-121 | 697344 | ▼-60,242 |
| Spring Lambs | 38821 | ▲3,276 | 434544 | ▼-7,949 |
| Ewes and Rams | 7894 | ▲438 | 168910 | ▲58,749 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 0 | ▼-126 |
| TOTAL | 46857 | ▲3,593 | 1300798 | ▼-9,568 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 33 (16.08.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2025 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 795.36 | ▼-26 | 769.32 | ▲26 |
| YTD Avg | 847.95 | ▼-2 | 847.95 | ▲1 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 08/08/2026 | 726.0 | 723.5 | New season Lamb |
| 15/08/2026 | 725.7 | 723.5 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▼-0 | ▲0 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 891.1 | 888.4 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports
