Trade hopes push forward cattle price

CATTLE supplies for the factories are looking tighter this week, and prices have stabilised at last week’s level, following a drop of 3,000 head in the number of steers.

Some processors are already feeling the effect of tighter supply, and have been showing more interest in retaining cattle within their areas this week — even if that means paying a shade more than their quoted rates.

While processors quoted unchanged prices, mostly at 319 to 308 cents/kg (114p to 110p/lb) for R and O grade steers, farmers were adopting a tighter hold on finished cattle and putting the plants under pressure to pay better.