Factory prices remain stable

Marts: Beef prices remained stable at the factories over the past week as supplies eased back after a record-breaking run since mid-November.

The benchmark of 100p/lb for R grade animals was fully maintained as the average price with no gains for the week, while the intake of cattle at the processing centres fell by almost 4,000 head, due almost entirely to the decline in the supply of bullocks to 16,744 head.

Most factories paid an average of 100p/lb for R4L bullocks - give or take a fraction - and only slightly more for heifers.