Fall of 2,300 head in last week’s cattle intake

Beef prices at the factories commenced the New Year with little change from the closing days of the old year — but the first signs of some tightening in the supply of cattle emerged.

Meanwhile, demand for beef remains strong.

The base price for steers is being quoted at 395-400 cents/kg. Processors in the southern counties are generally trying to get their requirements as close as possible to 395 cents/kg, while 4/kg is more the general run of the “up country” trade.