Market recovery beefs up prices

Marts: Beef prices have made further gains to maintain parity with last year for bullocks and edge slightly higher than 2006 for heifers as the recovery of the market continues.

Prices paid for bullocks and heifers edged up to 1-2 cents/k on average, while cow prices cooled a little, losing 6 cents/kg across the grades for higher price carcasses, and making gains of 3 cents/kg for poorer grading cows.

Half factories paid more for prime beef, with the remainder coming in around the same as the previous week, as the national average for R4L bullocks increased to 300 cents/kg (107p/lb) and R4L heifers rose to 302 cents/kg (107.7p/lb) on average.

The farmer pay sheet returns show that prices were stable for the AIBP Group at an average of 299 cents/kg (106.8p/lb) for R4L bullocks and also unchanged for the Dawn Group at 297 cents/kg (106.3p/lb).

Donegal Meats, losing its regular leadership position, dropped well down the league at 299 cents/kg, while Slaney Meats, Bunclody, paid the highest average of 305 cents/kg (109p/lb).

Next were Newgrange, Navan at 304 cents/kg (108.5p/lb) and Kepak (Athleague), Euro Foods (Duleek), Moyvalley (Kildare), AIBP (Nenagh and Clones), and Ashbourne (Roscrea) all on 301-302 cents/kg (107.5p/lb to 107.8p/lb).

The overall average for O4L bullocks was 290 cents/kg (103.4p/lb) with a top price of 304 cents/kg (106p/lb) paid by Jennings (Ballinrobe).

Prices for R4L heifers maintained their lead at a national average of 302 cents/kg (107.7p/lb). Kepak (Clonee) paid an average of 309 cents/kg (110p/lb). Liffeys (Ballyjamesduff) and AIBP (Nenagh and Cahir), and Moyvalley on an average of 306 cents/kg and Kildare, Slaney (Bunclody) and Newgrange all on an average of 305 cents/kg (109p/lb).

AIBP, Clones paid the highest for cows at 273 cents/kg (97.5p/lb) for R3, Kepak (Clonee) paid 259 cents/kg (92.6p/lb) for O4, and Clones and Meadow paid 252 cents/kg (90.3p/lb for P grade.