Factories slash beef prices another 10c/kg during ploughing week

The prices on offer for this week are down by at least another 10c/kg, as processors continue their determination to reduce the cost of all animals being purchased.

There is no let-up in the ongoing weekly reductions in the beef prices at the factories, with further cuts to the quotes for this week slashing returns to the finishers.

The prices on offer for this week are down by at least another 10c/kg, as processors continue their determination to reduce the cost of all animals being purchased.

The timing of the most severe weekly cuts this season to coincide with the National Ploughing Championships taking place from Tuesday to Thursday near Tullamore is unusual.

Traditionally, it has often proved to be a good week for finishers to sell, with factories under pressure as thousands of farmers take time off to attend the championships.

With the finisher returns down by €150-€175/head over less than a month, the processor representatives attending the ploughing are certain to come under pressure, but likely to defend their action by laying the blame on weaker market returns and consumers reacting to the higher cost of beef in the supermarkets.

In some regions of the country, suppliers have been quoted down to 710c/kg as a base for the steers this week, while the more general offering is a base price at 720c/kg. The heifer prices are following a similar pattern while retaining a premium of 10c/kg over the steer price.

The cow prices are down by up to 20c/kg with R-grade at 710-715c/kg and the R-grade young bulls around 730-735c/kg.

Most of the kill these weeks has been bought at the previous week's price and topped up by paying the previous week's price on Monday, with the revised price kicking in sharply before the middle of each week.

With the change in weather and seasonal pattern, the supply is increasing week on week, although up to 10,000 head/week down on last year and well below any norm for later in September.

One summary of the current situation this week was that "the factories have taken back control to dictate the trade".

"Going by other years, the processors should be under pressure to get more cattle, but they don't seem to be and some have tailored a reduction of the slaughtering days in line with the lower intake," he said.

"Are the processors under pressure to dampen down the trade prospects to bring down the price of stores for winter feeders, or has the market gone so weak they don't need the cattle?" he posed.

The supply increased by 1,300 head last week to 28,914 head, which was 9,500 less than the same week last year, but for 2025, it was the highest weekly supply since the beginning of June, as the summer finishers offload more stock and the heavy rainfall takes its toll on land conditions.

Last week's supply included 13,505 steers, 8,337 heifers, 5,480 cows and 1,110 young bulls.