Almost 110p/lb for heifers

Strong competition among factories for young heifers and cows has boosted prices.

Almost 110p/lb was paid for the tops of the young R grade heifers, while almost 94p/lb was paid for the quality heavy cows.

The factories paid an average of just over 107p/lb for R4L grade heifers and slightly under 107p/lb average for R4L grade bullocks.

Euro Farm Foods (Duleek) paid the highest factory average for R4L bullocks last week at slightly shy of 109p/lb just ahead of Donegal Meats. Dunbia Newgrange (Slane), Liffey Meats (Ballyjamesduff), AIBP (Waterford and Nenagh) and Dunbia Exel (Kilbeggan) all paying 107p/lb or slightly more.

There was very little difference in the group average prices paid by AIBP and Dawn at 106.5p/lb at the former and 106.2p/lb at the latter, both just under the national average.

The average for O4L bullocks was slightly less than 104p/lb. The highest factory average was almost 107p/lb at Jennings of Ballinrobe.

Prices paid for heifers maintained a slight lead over bullocks, particularly at the top end of the market, which peaked at a fraction short of 110p/lb at Kepak (Clonee). Slaney Meats (Bunclody), AIBP (Nenagh) and Euro Foods (Duleek) each paid an average of 109p/lb. Two Waterford- based factories — AIBP and Dawn — paid exactly the same price at an average of 108.2p/lb.

An average of 103.5p/lb was paid for O3 heifers with a top price of 107.4p/lb paid by Jennings of Ballinrobe.

Prices paid for cows have recovered most of the pre-Christmas drop in returns. Euro Farm Foods paid an average of almost 94p/lb for R grade carcasses. Liffey Meats paid an average of 90p/lb for O grade and the highest factory average for P grade was 88p/lb at Kildare Chilling. Dawn at Ballyhaunis, Waterford and Midleton, were also strong contenders on price for cows.