Farmers Strongly Resist Factory Price Pressure – IFA

IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman Henry Burns said the beef trade remain steady with supplies tight and base prices of €4.00/kg for steers and €4.15/kg for heifers. He said farmers are strongly resisting factory pressure and agents are having to pay 5c to 10c/kg over quoted prices to get cattle.
Henry Burns said farmers realise supplies remain tight and factories are struggling to get the numbers. In addition, he said farmers are very busy with any positive break in the weather and a lot of work still has to be done.

The IFA livestock leader said the UK trade remains strong with cattle prices at £3.40 to £3.48/kg, the equivalent to €4.52/kg. He said this price is 50c/kg or about €180 per head over Irish prices.

Henry Burns said cow prices are ranging from €3.30/kg to €3.80/kg with a lot of cows sold at this stage.

The IFA livestock leader said the factories in the South are trying to buy cattle at less than €4.00/kg but finding it very difficult to get numbers. He said €3.95/kg is being offered. On heifers he said €4.10/kg is widely available with some prices of €4.15/kg paid. R + U grade bulls are making €4.10/kg with tops of €4.15/kg paid for U grade animals. He said the average price for R grade bulls last week was €4.10/kg and €4.21/kg for U grade as reported by the Department of Agriculture.