Weekly cattle kill reaches highest level since early 2025

Beef prices have stabilised as weekly cattle throughput surged above 37,000 head, taking the year-to-date factory intake more than 8,000 head ahead of 2025.

Cows remain a firm trade as demand from the catering and manufacturing beef sectors remains strong. File picture

There is a steadier tone to beef prices at the factories this week, as the weekly flow of cattle into the processing plants surged to more than 37,000 head last week, the highest weekly intake since early 2025.

Finishers have welcomed what appears to be the bottoming out of the recent phase of beef price adjustment and the return of trade to a steadier pace.

Steers are being quoted on a base of 650-660c/kg on the grid at the factories this week, with some reports of up to 665c/kg being paid for quality lots and larger numbers of well-finished animals.

Heifers are on a base of 670-680c/kg, with reports of some suppliers getting up to 690c/kg for larger numbers and quality lots.

Cows remain a firm trade as demand from the catering and manufacturing beef sectors remains strong. Prices for R-grade cows are unchanged from last week at 620c/kg, with a few cents/kg more for well-fleshed cows.

Young bull prices have slipped to parity with the equivalent grade steer at 660-670c/kg.

Intake at the factories for the year to date has now topped the same period last year by almost 8,000 head following the surge in supply over recent weeks.

While processors will require a steady flow of cattle through their gates for another month, the strength of supply through the later weeks of October and to date in November has provided a strong replenishment of stocks at the factories.

One source explained this week:

The stronger prices on offer during October delivered the higher weekly intake to the factories, while they still held firm control against any runaway increase in prices being paid through very astute management.

“I believe that the trade has entered a plateau now, with processors satisfied that they will continue to get a steady flow over the coming weeks and not wanting to risk an adverse reaction from suppliers to further price cuts being detrimental to intake,” they added.

For producers, while returns for most have been well back on 2025, their 2026 margins have been very dependent on their cost base and whether their animals were home-bred or bought in at very high store prices.

The intake at the factories last week, at 37,045 head, was around 6,000 head more than in the same week last year and the highest since the beginning of 2025, as finishers moved factory-ready stock to hedge against any further price pressure.

Supply was strong across all categories, with 14,528 steers, 10,749 heifers, 8,669 cows and 2,253 young bulls. Intake for the year to date has now exceeded the same period in 2025 by more than 8,000 head.