Double punched prices soar

Ennis: Whether the optimism in beef prices forward will be justified or not by the market over the next month, prices paid for double punched bullocks in the marts have soared to extraordinary heights this week.

Top of the league was an outstanding Charolais Bullock double punched and weighing 916 kg sold for a whopping €1,720 at Ennis Mart on Thursday amounting to a record €804 over €/kg. Taking into account that the animal on offer was exceptional, it is still an eye opening price of the expectation on beef prices over the coming weeks. The majority of the double punched at Ennis sold for €400 over €/kg while the forward single punched topped at €420 over.

A remarkable feature of the trade has been prices for the heavy double punched bullocks, selling for close to parity with the forward single punched animals, the latter with a premia worth €150, a slaughter premia worth a further €80, and the potential to add another €80 for extensification going with their ID card.