Factory prices remain stable

Marts: Average prices for beef at the factories remained stable last week, retaining the slight gain from the previous week, but the highest individual factory price for bullocks was slightly lower.

Prices for R4L bullocks topped at just under 108p/lb slightly down on the previous week while the national average of a fraction over 105p/lb was unchanged. R4L heifer prices peaked at over 108p/lb partly due to premium beef in the kill while the national average was 105.6p/lb. Cow prices eased slightly to a top of 93.6p/lb for R4.

Bullock prices being paid in the south of the country continue to trail the prices being secured in the midlands and northern regions with only one factory in the south of the country in the top dozen factories for R4L bullocks last week, with some of the southern based plants buying R4L bullocks at an average of just over 103p/lb.