Finishers and processors are holding their ground on prices

Pictured at the sale in Cashel Mart are eight Friesian bullocks nine months old & average weight 318 kilos which sold for €540 each. Photo O'Gorman Photography

The steady trade for cattle at the factories has continued for this week, with both the producers and the processors holding their ground on prices.

The supply has slipped back to 35,652 head, which is 4,000 head less than the same week last year, which suggest some tightening in the number of cattle likely to be available to the plants for the final weeks of the year.

Year to date supply is now back by 77,000 head on the same period last year.

The base for steers continues to be quoted at 415c/kg with a small percentage reported to be getting 420c/kg for this week.

There are indications of a slight hardening in the trade for heifers with suppliers reporting that an extra 5c/kg is achievable for larger numbers, but there is little extra to be got for the steers.

The quoted base for heifers remains at 420c/kg, but more of the supply is making an extra 5c/kg this week and there is some mention of 430c/kg being paid for choice lots or larger supplies.

The young bulls are in demand at price on par with the steers at 415c/kg for R grade and a sprinkling of the supply making up to 420c/kg, with number making up some of the drop in steers.

The cow prices are unchanged. Up to 385c/kg is being paid for the quality R grade cows this week. Up to 360c/kg is being paid for O grade cows and P grade are ranging 345c-350c/kg.

At this time of the year, it can be all about the numbers game measured at the factory gates.

The processors under pressure to secure extra stock to meet their requirements can be forced to pay a little extra to get them.

On the other hand, where intake is strong enough, relative to demand, the processor is reluctant to concede on pressure for upward movement on the price.

The ploy is to pay as little as is necessary to get sufficient while guarding against conceding that upward movement on the price is there for the asking.

Requirements for the lucrative pre-Christmas supermarket orders are filling up these weeks with the festive season just four weeks away and factories requiring at least 21 days for maturing.

As mentioned the intake has slipped back and trailed last year by up to 4,000 head/week.

The decline is showing under all categories, with the exception of the young bulls, which are running at around 650 head/week up.

Both the steers and heifers have each slipped by around 2,500 head/week behind this time last year at 13,021 steers and 10,935 heifers in the kill last week.

The intake of cows is also slightly weaker at 8,225 head compared to 8,471 head this time last year.