Factories down to only 9,000 steers

BEEF supplies to factories continue very tight, and while the quotes are unchanged, actual prices paid continue to edge slowly upwards as farmers “hard sell” any available beef cattle.

While demand for beef is not hectic, and is depressed by fine weather and holiday factors at consumer level, the weekly kill of steers has fallen to the lowest level in a long time, with just over 9,000 head going through the factories last week.

Factories requiring reasonable supplies of cattle to fill orders are finding it extremely difficult to source enough cattle these weeks, which is leaving cattle farmers in a position to bargain for a strong price before deciding to sell.