Beef finishers suffering a substantial drop on expected returns

Cow prices are holding at 620-635c/kg for R grade and the R grade young bulls are ranging 670-685c/kg in general.

The beef prices at the factories are showing early signs of more stability returning to the trade as the processing sector commences working through two consecutive short weeks for supplies.

Producers are holding out some hope that the successive weeks of falling prices may have bottomed out with prospects for a more settled period ahead.

This week base prices are holding at 660c/kg for steers and 670c/kg for heifers in general with the only significant change at factories which were paying higher prices and have eased back to fall closer in line with the majority.

The extra 10-20c/kg which some producers have been securing from processors, mainly in the west and north west over recent weeks, is not as readily available this week at the higher end, as these outlets move to align closer to the majority.

The cow prices are holding at 620-635c/kg for R grade and the R grade young bulls are ranging 670-685c/kg in general.

This week the factories will not be working on Good Friday and next week will be out of action on Easter Monday which usually has an impact on the intake of cattle at the factories.

The supply is also showing some tightening week on week and overall the finishing cycle is entering the usually slackest period of the year for supply from early April through to the first of the cattle finished off grass in late May or early June.

While the finishers are suffering a substantial drop on expected returns, Bord Bia and the IFA differ on the background to the poorer than expected prices.

Bord Bia analysis puts the drop of at least 40c/kg on beef prices to producers in 2026 being due to weaker export markets for beef arising from inflation and consumers' resistance to paying the higher prices which has impacted the markets for beef this year so far.

However, the president of the IFA are challenging that there is no valid excuse for the prices that Irish finishers have been asked to accept this year, compared to the prices across the EU. He suggests that the time has come for a forward fixed spring price for beef to be negotiated between finishers and the processors to ensure the future of winter-spring finishing of beef animals.

The supply last week was back 1,000 head on the previous week at 32,085, which was 5,500 head lower than the same week last year. The kill included 12,052 steers, 10, 210 heifers, 6,956 cows, and 2,247 young bulls.

Overall, export factory throughput to the end of March is 337,101 head, compared to 400,625 head for the first three months in 2025.