Strong live trade for beef animals

Marts: There is a stronger live trade at the marts particularly for beef animals, forward stores and the top of the range weanlings this week with gains of up to €30/head.

The strength of the beef trade is now reflected in demand for the heavy bullocks and heifers to finish to beef over the three months with the supply of cattle for October and November expected to be very tight. Factories with facilities for finishing cattle are competing with farmers at the ringside for the quality heavy bullocks and heifers to finish later this year which is being read as a further positive indicator for the beef trade.

Up to €500 over €/kg is being paid for the quality heavy bullocks, while top of the range heavy heifers are making up to €50 over — all prices showing gains of up to €30/head.

In contrast the plain light bullock or heifer are a hard sell at €50 over with feeders weighing up the merits of an expensive winter of scarce feed and uncertainty for spring beef prices if restrictions on imports from Brazil are lifted early in 2007.

The export trade continues strong for the quality continental weanlings but a sharp difference in demand and prices on offer for the plainer lots.

There was 800 weanlings on offer at Ennis yesterday where the tops sold for up to €880 over — a Belgian Blue bull weighing 486kg sold for €1,360 and another Blue weighing 324kg fetched €835. The bulls ranged up to €430 over for quality.

Manager Martin McNamara said that some farmers are now buying weanlings, but they are also very selective and mostly in the market for the 300kg weight range at prices ranging €1.80 — €2.10/kg.

Trade for heifers followed a similar pattern with prices ranging €150 — €450 over.