Beef prices return to gains

Marts: Beef prices have turned the corner in a positive direction for producers over the past week regaining most of the recent decline in returns from the factories for bullocks and heifers and boosting cow prices.

Farmer pay-sheet returns from the processors confirm an increase of 3-6 cents/kg (1p-2p/lb) for both bullocks and heifers at factories across the country, restoring parity with the same time last year — or slightly better.

The factories paid an average of 299 cents/kg (almost 107p/lb) for R4L bullocks and 300 cents/kg (over 107p/lb) for R4L heifers for last weeks kill. The average for O4L bullocks was 289 cents/kg (over 103p/lb) and 288 cents/kg (almost 103p/lb) for O3 heifers.