Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said Larry Murrin has completely undermined his own explanation for importing Brazilian beef in his media interviews. His admission that his company started importing Brazilian beef in 2024 and significantly increased the volumes in 2025 coincides with the rise in European and Irish cattle prices. This is nothing more than an attempt to undermine prices Irish beef farmers get, and to increase his own profits. Declan Hanrahan said his latest revelations make a complete mockery out of the excuses he and his supporters in Government circles, including the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Agriculture have been spinning. “Farmers are not fools. We can see this for what it really is. Nobody believes customers of his company suddenly started demanding Brazilian beef for supply chain guarantees just at the time Irish and European farmers started to get a fair price for our product.” Larry Murrin, in his position as Chair of Bord Bia, is constantly lecturing farmers about higher standards. Yet he is using this to promote his company while increasing his profits by importing cheap, untraceable, substandard Brazilian beef.
Beef Price Update 30/01/2026
Base Steer €7.00/7.20kg. Heifers €7.10/7.30kg. Higher deals for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €7.20/7.50Kg. Cows €6.30/7.00kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (01.02.2026)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 3,526 | ▲54 | 11% | 15,793 | ▼-438 |
| Bull | 299 | ▲1 | 1% | 1,323 | ▼-114 |
| Steer | 9,707 | ▼-29 | 31% | 49,133 | ▼-9,404 |
| Cow | 7,316 | ▲302 | 24% | 29,919 | ▼-8,590 |
| Heifer | 9,883 | ▲63 | 32% | 49,005 | ▼-7,776 |
| Veal-V | 8 | ▼-4 | 0% | 81 | ▼-68 |
| Veal-Z | 167 | ▲38 | 1% | 788 | ▲236 |
| Total | 30,906 | ▲425 | 100% | 146,042 | ▼-26,154 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (01.02.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 751 | ▼-1 | 742 | ▲1 | 735 | ▲2 | 700 | ▼-2 |
| Heifers | 758 | ▼-1 | 749 | ▲3 | 741 | ▲1 | 693 | ▼-1 |
| Y Bulls | 744 | ▼-4 | 734 | ▼-1 | 716 | ▲2 | 706 | ▲1 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 700 | ▲8 | 660 | ▲3 | 646 | ▲3 |
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 |
| 24/01/2026 | 647.8 | 651.1 | 646.5 | 649.2 | 633.9 | 631.6 | 532.0 |
| 31/01/2026 | 644.1 | 648.1 | 643.0 | 647.2 | 632.2 | 630.1 | 533.7 |
| Change | ▼-4 | ▼-3 | ▲0 | ▼-2 | ▼-2 | ▼-2 | ▲2 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 790.9 | 795.8 | 789.5 | 794.7 | 776.3 | 773.7 | 655.3 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 21.01.2024 | 25.01.2025 | 24.01.2026 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 5.16 | € 5.72 | €7.10 |
| IE + Steers | € 5.17 | € 5.75 | € 7.30 |
| UK + Steers | € 5.10 | € 6.93 | €7.38 |
Live Cattle Exports 26th January
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said prices for hogget’s remain firm this week but factories must do more for sheep farmers. He said store finishers have incurred significant costs producing hogget’s for factories over this winter period ensuring a consistent supply of sheep meat for key customers. Adrian Gallagher said sheep numbers are declining at dangerous rate, and the extent of these price cuts seen over the past number of weeks will have consequences that will set a dangerous path for the remainder of the year. Factories are paying prices from €7.60kg to €7.90kg on weights to 23kg for hoggets. Cull ewes are making from €4.40kg to €5.00kg in general.
Lamb Price Update 05/02/2026
Lambs €7.80/8.05kg. Weights to 23kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.40/5.00/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (01.02.2026)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 33,662 | ▲273 | 141,808 | ▼-8,535 |
| Spring Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 32,697 | ▲15,419 |
| Ewes and Rams | 3,292 | ▲348 | 15,779 | ▲559 |
| Light Lambs | 0 | ▲0 | 0 | ▼-9 |
| TOTAL | 36,954 | ▲621 | 190,284 | ▲7,434 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 05 (01.02.2026)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2025 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 742.67 | ▼-13 | 864.3 | ▼-122 |
| YTD Avg | 847.95 | ▼-3 | 879.23 | ▼-126 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 24/01/2026 | 689.1 | 688.4 | New season Lamb |
| 31/01/2026 | 681.1 | 678.7 | New season Lamb |
| Change | ▼-8 | ▼-10 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 836.3 | 833.4 | 1 |
Live Sheep Exports 2025
