Beef trade enjoys surge in prices

Marts: Confidence in the beef trade has been further strengthened after another surge in the supply of cattle failed to dampen the upward trend in prices at the factories.

The average price paid for cattle increased by 1-2 cents/kg with the throughput reaching its highest since early April, at over 36,000 head last week. The supply of bullocks reached 19,316 head last week, an increase of 3,000 head on top of a rise of 1,400 the previous week. The intake of heifers was 7,272.

R4L bullocks gained 1 cent/kg with slight reduction in the average at some factories being more than offset by increases of 3-5 cents/kg (1p-1.5p/lb) at other locations as the national average improved to just under 102p/lb.