Factories’ beef price recovery stalls

THE recovery in beef prices at the factories has stalled, with the average prices paid for last week’s kill almost identical to the previous week, dashing producer hopes of an immediate substantial increase as supplies decline.

Farmer pay-sheet returns show the factories paid an average of 87.5p/lb for R3 bullocks and 88p/lb for R3 heifers, unchanged from the previous week, while the national average for O3 bullocks was unchanged at 83p/lb and O3 grade heifers were improved by 1p/lb at 82.5p/lb.

The pattern emerging confirms earlier expectations the recovery in beef prices would be very gradual, with painfully small increases being conceded by the factories in the run up to the end of the year.