Critical period will test cattle price resistance now

Beef processors are continuing to hold the line on cattle prices this week, as supply comes more into balance, which returns some bargaining power to farmers.

It’s normally one of the most expensive periods of the year for processors to source cattle, but the prices for May this year will fall behind peak levels, despite processors coming under extra pressure to source sufficient supplies, as numbers tighten.

There was no change in the prices being quoted at the factories this week, but there are reports of some factory agents coming under pressure to top-up the official quotes, to get farmers to part with cattle.