Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said market conditions for beef should be favourable for the remainder of the year as markets and buying patterns return to normal. He said supplies of finished cattle would be tight for the rest of the year. Numbers are back to date by over 67,000 head, with the annual kill predicted to be back a further 50,000 head by year-end, with a total of 110 – 120,000 fewer slaughter cattle available than 2020. “The strong performance of the live export trade to Northern Ireland for store and finished cattle, which is expected to continue into the back end of the year, is adding strong competition for farmers and ensuring numbers of finished cattle will be tight up to year-end. Forty-two thousand six hundred and fifty-five cattle have been exported to NI this year, increasing from 13,896 in 2020,” he said.
Beef Price Update 05/08/21
Steer Base €4.25/4.35kg. Heifers €4.30/4.40kg. Higher deals larger lots. Y Bulls R/U €4.25/4.40Kg. Cows €3.60/4.00kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 30 (25.07.2021)
| Animal | Number | Change prev. wk. | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 1,738 | ▼-409 | 5% | 83,731 | ▼-13,657 |
| Bull | 672 | ▲26 | 2% | 15,528 | ▼-4,195 |
| Steer | 16,327 | ▲2,212 | 48% | 347,394 | ▼-14,626 |
| Cow | 6,660 | ▼-721 | 20% | 201,820 | ▼-3,021 |
| Heifer | 8,617 | ▼-33 | 25% | 271,686 | ▼-29,143 |
| Veal-V | 3 | ▼-27 | 0% | 20,614 | ▼-5,821 |
| Veal-Z | 22 | ▼-3 | 0% | 1,066 | ▲95 |
| Total | 34,039 | ▲1,045 | 100% | 941,839 | ▼-70,368 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 30 (25.07.2021)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Changeprev wk | R3 | Changeprev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Changeprev wk |
| Steers | 460 | ▲0 | 451 | ▲1 | 437 | ▲0 | 407 | ▼-1 |
| Heifers | 467 | ▼-1 | 455 | ▼-1 | 445 | ▼-2 | 399 | ▲1 |
| Y Bulls | 451 | ▲5 | 438 | ▲4 | 416 | ▲0 | 400 | ▼-7 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 393 | ▲1 | 371 | ▲0 | 361 | ▲0 |
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 |
| 24.07.2021 | 411.6 | 413.9 | 411.2 | 412.8 | 405.4 | 402.7 | 312 |
| 24.07.2021 | 411.6 | 413.9 | 411.2 | 412.8 | 405.4 | 402.7 | 312 |
| Change | ▲2 | ▲1 | ▲2 | ▲3 | ▲1 | ▲2 | ▲2 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 513.6 | 515.7 | 513.5 | 515.9 | 504.4 | 502.5 | 390.6 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 01.08.2020 | 31.07.2021 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 3.53 | € 3.87 |
| IE + Steers | € 3.75 | € 4.28 |
| UK + Steers | € 4.11 | € 4.73 |
Live Exports 19.07.2021
Sheep Update
IFA National Sheep Chairman Sean Dennehy says the outlook for lamb prices is positive. He said significant numbers of lambs were moved in the past few weeks to meet demand for the Eid festival. He said, “Farmers have moved lambs at lighter weights this year with average carcase weights back .5kg for the year. This has reduced the volume of sheep meat in the marketplace, a situation replicated in the UK and ensures there won’t be a glut of lambs to come out”. Breeding sales will be starting, and combined with the strong store trade, will provide competition to factories for lambs. He said farmers should sell hard as lambs become fit throughout the remainder of the year in a favourable market environment.
Lamb Price Update 05/08/21
Spring Lamb €6.20/6.40kg. Higher deals groups and larger lots. Good Demand. Sell Hard. Ewes €3.30/3.60kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – Week 30 (25.07.2021)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 278 | ▲63 | 695,305 | ▼-91,649 |
| Spring Lambs | 49,321 | ▼-5,895 | 602,126 | ▲1,515 |
| Ewes and Rams | 8,598 | ▼-153 | 177,542 | ▼-18,785 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 105 | ▲63 |
| TOTAL | 58,197 | ▼-5,985 | 1,475,078 | ▼-108,856 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – Week 30 (25.07.2021)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | WK 30 | Change prev wk | 2020 | Change prev yr |
| National Avg Price | 605.61 | ▼-10 | 525.11 | ▲81 |
| YTD Avg | 678.98 | ▼-3 | 528.71 | ▲150 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 17/06/2021 | 558.1 | 560.5 | New season |
| 24/07/2021 | 564.3 | 565.5 | New season |
| Change | ▲6 | ▲5 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 701.1 | 702.6 |
