Search is on for high quality cattle

SUPPLIES of finished beef cattle remain tight, and the trade continued on a firm note for the week, with some processors slightly improving their prices for cattle.

There is no panic at the factories to get large supplies of cattle, but they do need a level of throughput sufficient to meet orders on hand. As a consequence, some processors have improved their prices by 3 cents/kg (1p/lb), to get producers to sell.

Up to 250 cents/kg (89p/lb) is being offered for R3 steers in the North West, with a top price of 246 cents/kg (88p/lb) going in the midland for Rs.

The top quoted price in the southern region is 3 cent/kg (1p/lb) less.

Prices for O grade animals are ranging from 235 back to 229 cents/kg (84p to 82p/lb).

In general, prices for heifers are similar to those of the steers. Some factories have introduced minimum carcass weight limits, with animals which fall below the limit being penalised by up to 9 cents/kg (3p/lb), in order to reduce the number of under finished animals being offered to factories, which had been noticeably increasing over the past week or two.

On the other hand, some factories have been paying slightly more than the quoted prices to get the supplies of good quality cattle which remain scarce in particular areas of the country.

Finished animals under 12 months for the speciality markets like Italy are harder to find, presently. There is strong demand for these quality animals, at prices of 280 cents/kg (100p/lb) and over, but they are generally not available in large quantities.

Exel Meats have been buying this particular category of animal for some time, and are now finding supplies very scarce. Dawn Meats also want to fill additional orders from Italy for the tourist business over the summer months, and are active in the market now for any such animals available.

Fair Oak have re-commenced slaughtering this week at their plant at Clonmel, which had been undergoing refurbishment since the beginning of the year.

They have taken their plant at Bagenalstown out of commission for a few weeks of maintenance work, with slaughtering transferred from Bagenalstown to the South Tipperary plant during the maintenance period.

In the cow trade this week, there has been no change in the firm tone.

Up to 196 cents/kg (70p/lb) is being quoted for the heavy cows, and a little more is being paid in some cases. The general run of cull cows is ranging from 190 back to 185 cents/kg (68p-66p/lb).