Only 1,500 extra cattle processed last week

Any upward movement in beef prices at the factories continued to be tightly controlled this week, with increases conceded only where processors are under pressure to get more cattle.

The quoted base price for steers is 390 cents/kg at most of the processors, and reports from around the country confirm that while farmers are refusing to sell for less this week, it continues to be difficult to get very much over, unless the individual processor fails in their bid to secure sufficient stock for less than a topped-up base price.

Heifer prices are running at a premium of 10 cent/kg over steer prices. The general run of base prices for heifers is 400 cents/kg, with some farmers holding out and securing a shade more before parting with better quality animals.