Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said factories are not reflecting the strength of the market in prices to farmers, even though they went up by another 5c/kg this week. He said the latest Prime Export Benchmark price has opened up a gap of 17c/kg with the Prime Irish price, reflecting the strength of the market for beef. Brendan Golden said supplies of prime cattle are extremely tight. Last week’s kill of steers came in at just over 13,000 head and the heifer kill dropped by over 800 head on the previous week to just over 10,000. “Factories are paying €4.25/kg for steers and €4.30/kg for heifers freely this week, with up to €4.40/kg paid for steers and €4.45/kg for heifers as they struggle to get suitable cattle,” he said. Cow prices are ranging from €3.50/kg to €4.00/kg depending on grade with young bulls grading R/U making €4.20/kg to €4.40/kg. Brendan Golden said there is no justification for prices lagging behind the Prime Export Benchmark Price by 17c/kg and factories must start returning the full value of the current market in beef prices offered to farmers.
Beef Price Update 02/12/21
Steer Base €4.20/4.35kg. Heifers €4.25/4.40kg. Higher deals larger lots. Y Bulls R/U €4.20/4.35Kg. Cows €3.50/4.00kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 47 (22.11.2021)
| Animal | Number | Change prev. wk. | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 3,019 | ▲42 | 8% | 114,456 | ▼-9,874 |
| Bull | 514 | ▲59 | 1% | 24,588 | ▼-5,789 |
| Steer | 13,151 | ▲130 | 37% | 623,788 | ▼-14,801 |
| Cow | 8,655 | ▲430 | 24% | 318,049 | ▼-10,414 |
| Heifer | 10,120 | ▼-815 | 28% | 436,002 | ▼-30,921 |
| Veal-V | 44 | ▲31 | 0% | 20,976 | ▼-5,899 |
| Veal-Z | 31 | ▲5 | 0% | 1,477 | ▲39 |
| Total | 35,534 | ▼-91 | 100% | 1,539,336 | ▼-77,659 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 47 (22.11.2021)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Changeprev wk | R3 | Changeprev wk | O3 | Changeprev wk | P+3 | Changeprev wk. |
| Steers | 452 | ▲2 | 442 | ▲3 | 427 | ▲4 | 395 | ▲2 |
| Heifers | 458 | ▲0 | 448 | ▲2 | 439 | ▲3 | 395 | ▲7 |
| Y Bulls | 436 | ▲4 | 426 | ▲3 | 411 | ▲0 | 400 | ▼-2 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 386 | ▼-1 | 363 | ▲3 | 346 | ▲1 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 30.11.2019 | 28.11.2020 | 27.11.2021 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 3.62 | € 3.56 | € 4.37 |
| IE + Steers | € 3.42 | € 3.67 | € 4.19 |
| UK + Steers | € 3.92 | € 4.25 | € 4.94 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 30.11.2019 | 28.11.2020 | 27.11.2021 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 3.62 | € 3.56 | € 4.37 |
| IE + Steers | € 3.42 | € 3.67 | € 4.19 |
| UK + Steers | € 3.92 | € 4.25 | € 4.94 |
Live Exports W/C 15.11.2021
Sheep Update
Commenting on the issuing of the advance payments for the 2021 Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS), IFA Sheep Chairman Sean Dennehy said the new reference periods are worth over €2m more for farmers in the scheme. He said the new reference periods for the scheme provide established flocks with the higher of 2017, or the original 2014/2015 reference years, for payment calculations. New entrants can use 2019 to reflect the process of establishing their flock. Sean Dennehy said the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced his intentions earlier this year to update the reference periods to better reflect the actual activity levels on sheep farms, following IFA’s calls to bring the reference periods up to date. “The Minister has honoured this commitment and provided the additional funding for this year’s and next year’s SWS, increasing payments to farmers by over €4m over the two-year period,” he said. Sean Dennehy said the focus must now be on building on this Scheme in the new CAP, to bring payments to €30/ewe. He said the current Strategic Plan lacks the funding and ambition to provide this and must be amended.
Lamb Price Update 02/12/21
Lamb €7.10/7.30/kg up to €7.45/kg paid. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Weights to 23kgs. Ewes €3.10/3.50/kg. Sell hard.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 47 (22.11.2021)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 54 | ▲25 | 697955 | ▼-93,128 |
| Spring Lambs | 43095 | ▼-4,544 | 1441187 | ▼-4,181 |
| Ewes and Rams | 6180 | ▼-843 | 327922 | ▼-22,074 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 129 | ▲66 |
| TOTAL | 49329 | ▼-5,362 | 2467193 | ▼-119,317 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 47 (22.11.2021)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | WK 47 | Change prev wk | 2020 | Change prev yr |
| National Avg Price | 693.76 | ▼-16 | 522.08 | ▲172 |
| YTD Avg | 660.27 | ▲1 | 517.85 | ▲142 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 20.11.2021 | 601.1 | 600.1 | New season |
| 27.11.2021 | 601.8 | 600.6 | New season |
| Change | ▲1 | ▲1 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 747.6 | 746.2 |
Total Live Sheep Exports 12/10/2021
