Young heifers maintain strong prices

Marts: Consumer demand for beef in Britain has failed to show any significant improvement in reaction to the outbreak of bird ‘flu’ in a turkey flock, weakening the prospect of a spin-off benefit for beef producers.

Demand in Britain is reported to be steady at best, with the market sluggish for some of the prime cuts of beef, and a weaker market for manufacturing beef, resulting from an increase in over thirty months beef for the food chain. Markets on the continent are reported to be either stable or a shade quieter — not enough demand to give the trade the push necessary to boost prices to producers.

On the home front, young heifers continue to be the strongest sector at the factories — demand maintaining firm prices — while strong demand for cows has led to further narrowing of the margin behind the prices on offer for prime beef.