Beef price increases slow down
Prices for R3 bullocks averaged 95p/lb an increase of just 1 cent/kg (0.3p/lb) while heifer prices remained stable. There were some exceptions to the overall trend and 1p-3p/lb more was paid for cattle by some of the factories, with a top price of 98.5p/lb being paid for R3 grade bullocks. Cull cow prices continued very strong with a top price of almost 84p/lb being paid for good cows.
An increase of 2,200 head in the supply of bullocks to the factories could have been enough to relieve some of the pressure on the processors and reduce the necessity to pay higher prices to get enough stock to fill the orders.
AIBP Group paid an average of 0.8p/lb more for R3 bullocks, but this increase was unevenly spread across the six factories in the group. Prices at Cahir increased by over 3p/lb to an average of 96.8p/lb while the increase at most of the other plants in the group was marginal. The average at Dawn Group and Kepak was practically similar to the previous week.
Carrigans of Donegal paid the top price at 98.5p average, with AIBP at Cahir, Liffey Meats at Ballyjamesduff, and Moyvalley (Bergins) of Kildare all paying over 96p/lb average for R£ bullocks. A further 11 factories paid over 95p/lb average. The factories paid an average of 93p/lb for O3 bullocks.
The average for R3 heifers was similar to the previous week at just under 95p/lb.
Liffeys, Kepak at Clonee and Carrigans paid between 96.3p/lb and 98.2p/lb. Another 10 factories paid over 95p/lb average. The average for O3 heifers was 91.6p/lb an increase of 2 cents/kg (0.6p/lb).
