Stable cattle prices for week three

BEEF cattle prices have entered a more settled phase, stable for the third consecutive week, with supplies to the factories adequate to meet the needs of the processors.

Farmers are getting up to 297 cents/kg (106p/lb) for R grade animals in the upper half of the country, while they are, at best, 6 cents/kg (2p/lb) cheaper in the south, where suppliers are more plentiful.

The price range for O grade animals varies from 289 to 283 cent/kg (103 to 101p/lb) with the price leaders in the upper half of the country.