Cattle Prices Continue to Drive Forward – IFA

IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman Michael Doran said cattle prices are continuing to drive forward with supplies at the factories remaining very tight.
Michael Doran said steers are making a base price of €4.05 to €4.10/kg, heifers are making €4.10 to €4.25/kg with some top prices up to €4.30/kg and bulls are making from €4.15 to €4.25/kg. Cows are ranging from €3.40 to €3.65/kg.

Michael Doran said the prospects for 2012 remain positive with Bord Bia forecasting a reduction in factory slaughterings of 50 – 80,000 head for 2012.

The IFA livestock leader said there is no doubt that cattle supplies and particularly steers and heifers will be tighter again in 2012. He said calf births in 2010 were down 25,000 head on 2009 levels. Live exports increased by 42,000 head in 2010 and there was a significant increase in the level of breeding heifers retained on both dairy and suckler farms. In addition, he said male animals in the 18 to 30 month age group on the AIMS database were down 110,000 head as of last September.