Decline in beef prices continues

Farmer pay-sheet returns show another three cents/kg (1p/lb) was knocked off the average bullock price at the factories for last week’s kill when the processors paid an average of 260-249 cents/kg (93p-89p/lb) for R3/O3 grades.

Heifer prices fared slightly better making an average of 0.5p/lb more for R3 than the bullocks, while the best of the cull cows maintained a strong price of just over 80p/lb - narrowing the gap between O grade bullocks/heifers and cull cows to under 10p/lb.

With the exception of Carrigans of Donegal at 96.6p/lb and Jennings of Ballinrobe paying an average of 94.2p/lb, most of the factories paid an average of 93p/lb or slightly better for R3 bullocks.