Beef & Sheep UpdateCattleSheep

Beef & Sheep Update 22nd Jan

Cattle and Sheep in field, Wicklow, Ireland

Beef Update

Brendan Golden said the trade is underpinned by the continuing strong performance of the supermarket trade and tight supplies. He said the latest 12-week supermarket sales data, up to the end of December, is reflecting the ongoing increase in both sales of beef and value of beef.

The IFA Livestock Chairman said the Prime Export Benchmark Price has strengthened in the past week reflecting the market conditions in our key export markets. He said beef prices need to push on to reflect the positive market conditions that are prevailing.

Beef Price Update 21/1/21

Steer base €3.80/3.85kg. Heifers €3.85/3.90kg. Deals higher. Y Bulls €3.60/3.95kg. Cows €3.00/3.50kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 2 (11/01/21)

AnimalNumberChange prev. wk.% of totalYTDYTD Change
Y Bulls3,587▲411%7,170▼-2,381 
Bull291▼-28 1%610▼-397 
Steer11,177▲3735%22,317▲1,010
Cow6,436▲22420%12,648▲2,094
Heifer10,445▼-1,278 33%22,168▲1,534
Veal-V30▲240%36▲3
Veal-Z24▼-12 0%60▲5
Total31,990▼-1,029 100%65,009▲1,868

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 2 (11/01/21)

c/kg(Incl. VAT)U3Change prev. wkR3Change prev. wkO3Change prev. wkP+3Change prev. wk
Steers407▼-4 396▼-4 381▼-2 350▼-4 
Heifers415▼-5 402▼-3 390▼-3 345▼-1 
Y Bulls389▼-1 377▼-3 363▼-3 355▲0
Cows0▲0333▼-5 311▼-3 297▼-5 

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

SteersSteersHeifersHeifersY bullY bullCow
p/kgR3R4LR3R4LR3R4L-O4L
09/01/2021378.7380.9378.5381.2368.8364.8256.4
16/01/2021381.8387381.7385374.1364.4260.4
Change▲3▲6▲3▲4▲5▼-0 ▲4
Price in c/kg (Incl. VAT)453.0459.2452.9456.8443.9432.4309.0

Sheep Update

Sean Dennehy said the latest supermarket sales figures for 12-week period to end-December 2020 shows a volume increase of 14% and a price increase of 4% contributing to overall spend on lamb increasing by over 18% compared to 2019. He said lamb supplies are tight and market conditions are strong. There is no justification for factory price cuts. He advised farmers to sell hard with QA lambs making €6.35 to €6.50kg.

Lamb Price Update 21/01/21

QA Lamb €6.35/€6.50kg. Weights to 23kgs. Ewes €3.00/3.20kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 2 (11/01/2021)

AnimalNumberChange prev. wkYTDYTD Change
Lambs/Hoggets45,634▼-330 91,598▲2,344
Spring Lambs0▲00▲0
Ewes and Rams6,798▲40813,188▼-1,281 
Light Lambs1▼-5 7▲7
TOTAL52,433▲73104,793▲1,070

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 2 (11/01/21)

c/kg (Incl. VAT)WK 2Change prev. wk2020Change prev. yr
Avg Factory Price595.23▲34503.81▲91
Avg Mart Price585.75▲27450.47▲135
National Avg Price597.68▲37487.81▲110
YTD Avg579.36▲18475.73▲104

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

R3L Overall SQQ*Type of lamb
09.01.2021517.2518.6Old season
16.01.2021569.1568.8Old season
Change▲52▲50
Price in c/kg (Incl. VAT)675.2674.9

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