Beef Update
IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said beef prices continue to move forward but more is needed from the market place. Despite the recent price increases, they’re not keeping pace with prices in our key export markets and they must move on further and faster. The prime Irish composite price continues to lag 20c/kg behind the prime export benchmark price and this is unacceptable. He said factories must and can do more for beef farmers to reflect the reality of the market conditions they are selling into. Base prices for steers are making from €4.80kg to €4.90kg while heifers range from €4.85kg to €4.95kg. Young bulls R/U are making from €4.80kg to €5.00kg. The cow trade remains firm with prices ranging from €3.90kg to €4.60kg. Brendan Golden said farmers should resist the lower quotes offered by factories and consider the mart outlet were prices for forward store and finished cattle are very competitive with factory prices.
Beef Price Update 07/12/2023
Base Quotes Steer €4.80/4.90kg. Heifers €4.85/4.95kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €4.80/5.00Kg. Cows €3.90/4.60kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 48 (03.12.2023)
| Animal | Number | Change prev wk | % of total | YTD | YTD Change |
| Y Bulls | 2,852 | ▲547 | 7% | 107,532 | ▼-15,022 |
| Bull | 442 | ▼-2 | 1% | 26,203 | ▼-263 |
| Steer | 12,747 | ▼-872 | 33% | 650,579 | ▼-21,499 |
| Cow | 11,596 | ▲297 | 30% | 381,770 | ▲1,551 |
| Heifer | 10,350 | ▼-233 | 27% | 454,637 | ▼-14,426 |
| Veal-V | 11 | ▲1 | 0% | 30,728 | ▲2,358 |
| Veal-Z | 63 | ▼-27 | 0% | 1,608 | ▲19 |
| Total | 38,061 | ▼-289 | 100% | 1,653,057 | ▼-47,282 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 48 (03.12.2023)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | U3 | Change prev wk | R3 | Change prev wk | O3 | Change prev wk | P+3 | Change prev wk |
| Steers | 511 | ▲7 | 502 | ▲7 | 490 | ▲8 | 457 | ▲7 |
| Heifers | 518 | ▲6 | 506 | ▲6 | 499 | ▲5 | 451 | ▲7 |
| Y Bulls | 498 | ▲4 | 492 | ▲6 | 473 | ▲4 | 461 | ▼-3 |
| Cows | 0 | ▲0 | 443 | ▲3 | 407 | ▲4 | 386 | ▲7 |
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 |
| 25/11/2023 | 489 | 493.3 | 487 | 491.6 | 479.7 | 471.5 | 320.9 |
| 02/11/2023 | 490.5 | 494.2 | 488.8 | 492.5 | 475.2 | 473.4 | 318.5 |
| Change | ▲2 | ▲1 | ▲2 | ▲1 | ▼-5 | ▲2 | ▼-2 |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 602.3 | 606.8 | 600.2 | 604.7 | 583.5 | 581.3 | 391.1 |
Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)
| Country & Type | 11.27.2021 | 11.27.2022 | 11.25.2023 |
| EU + Y Bulls | € 4.37 | € 5.12 | € 4.92 |
| IE + Steers | € 4.19 | € 4.67 | € 4.59 |
| UK + Steers | € 4.94 | € 5.11 | € 5.52 |
Live Exports W/C 27.11.2023
Sheep Update
IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said lamb prices have risen 10c/kg this week as factories struggle to match supplies with market demand. Lambs are making from €6.60kg to €6.85kg on weights to 23kg with higher deals for larger and specialised lots. He the tighter supplies of lambs is evident on the ground with last week’s lamb throughput back over 1,300/head and overall throughput back 3,874/head. Mart sales have also improved. Agents and wholesalers are very active in marts competing strongly for the limited number of fleshed lambs available where prices are comparable to and competitive with what some factories are offering. Cull ewes are making from €2.70kg to €3.10kg in general. The IFA Sheep Chairman said farmers should sell hard and avoid selling underweight lambs.
Lamb Price Update 07/12/2023
Spring Lamb €6.60/6.85/kg. Weights to 23kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €2.70/3.10/kg.
Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM – WK 48 (03.12.2023)
| Animal | Figure | Change | YTD | YTD Change |
| Lambs/Hoggets | 161 | ▼-1,835 | 986,598 | ▲81,425 |
| Spring Lambs | 50,133 | ▼-1,336 | 1,351,315 | ▼-78,641 |
| Ewes and Rams | 5,542 | ▼-707 | 311,512 | ▼-49,743 |
| Light Lambs | 4 | ▲4 | 153 | ▲6 |
| TOTAL | 55,840 | ▼-3,874 | 2,649,578 | ▼-46,953 |
Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM – WK 48 (03.12.2023)
| c/kg (Incl. VAT) | This week | Change prev. wk | 2022 | Change prev. yr |
| National Avg Price | 637.07 | ▼-9 | 656.34 | ▼-19 |
| YTD Avg | 660.65 | ▼-1 | 682.04 | ▼-21 |
Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB
| R3L | Overall SQQ* | Type of lamb | |
| 25/11/2023 | 592.0 | 588.7 | New season lamb |
| 02/11/2023 | 591.5 | 588.1 | New season lamb |
| Change | ▼-1 | ▼-1 | |
| Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) | 726.3 | 722.1 |
Live Sheep Exports Jan-Sep
