Prices for quality beef strengthens

THE live trade is concluding the week with prices for quality animals a shade stronger, prices for beef heifers improved at some centres, and plain stores unchanged, while numbers on offer at the marts continue to fall.

The buying flurry for the forward double punched bullocks at crazy prices appears to have eased but these lots continue to make up to €260 over /kg, which is setting a challenge for purchasers to make any margin of profit against the prospects for beef prices in the third quarter of the year.

The best of the heavy double punched bullocks made up to €255 over at Bandon Mart yesterday - ranging from €80 over - and at Kilkenny they achieved a few euro’s more. The number of bullocks on offer at Bandon was down on last week and the entry of 560 cattle at Kilkenny was also lower than a week ago in common with the trend at mart throughout the week.