Scarcity drives up prices for young cattle

THE scarcity of young cattle has given factory prices the biggest boost this year as producers bargain for 90p/lb, which was attainable yesterday.

Prices for the older cattle are also showing an increase in quotes of up to 2p/lb this week, but bigger improvements in prices are being achieved as the prices rise to 80p/lb in direct deals between the factories and producers.

There were quotes of 85-87p/lb for R grade cattle under 30 months from an increasing number of the factories yesterday with prices for O grade moving upwards from 80p/lb to 83p/lb in the quoted prices.