Marts: Such has been the demand for cattle at the factories over the past week that an increase of over 4,000 in the supply of bullocks failed to deter the average price gaining a further 1 cent/kg — the third consecutive week of price gains.

Marts: Beef prices increased by an average of 3c/kg (1p/lb), while individual factories paid up to 6c/kg (2p/lb) more for cattle, despite an upward trend in supplies for last week.

Marts: Producers with R grade cattle to sell are strongly resisting factory price cuts and processors are paying significantly more than the quoted prices for their supplies.

Marts: Spring finishers of beef warned the processing industry at a meeting with Meat Industry Ireland last Friday of being left high and dry without spring beef supplies unless prices are improved.

IT WAS hard to find a glimmer of hope for cattle farmers in a very disappointing beef trade at the factories this week, with prices on offer falling further.

Beef prices have continued the downward trend at the factories with further reductions as supplies exceeded demand at the processors yesterday.

The intake of bullocks dropped by 2,500 head after factories reduced prices by up to 6c/kg (2p/lb) last week with the heaviest losses in prices for the poorer graders.

Almost half of the factories paid less for R4L bullocks for last week's kill after a surge in supply to the highest weekly intake of bullocks in 2007 and the highest for the corresponding week since 2003.

THREE-MONTH analysis of the prices paid to farmers for beef animals shows that the margin of difference between factories for R4L bullocks was less than half of that for R4L heifers around the country.

Marts: Beef prices have made further gains to maintain parity with last year for bullocks and edge slightly higher than 2006 for heifers as the recovery of the market continues.

Marts: Stronger prices at the top of the market — for both bullocks and heifers — is the positive side of the factory returns for last week kill which provides ground for optimism by producers that the worst of the recent decline is over.

Marts: As beef prices tightened at the factories for a second week, analysis of factory averages for the first two months of 2007 show smaller factories led the field within a narrow price variation nationally.

As the processors tightened their grips on prices the return on R4L bullocks fell slightly at a number of the plants last week, in an unwelcome signal for producers who increased supply by a further 1,300 head to almost 35,000 head.

Strong competition among factories for young heifers and cows has boosted prices.

Marts: A strong improvement in the prices being paid by processors for cattle has brought about a good recovery in the supply to the factories.

HALF of the factories paid more for cattle last week (some increased by almost 3p/lb), while the balance paid the same or slightly less than the previous week as the kill surged to a three-year high.

THE Sam McCauley Chemists Group investment in expansion this year will hit €12.5 million as the company targets a doubling of turnover to €100m by 2008.

Marts: Beef prices at the factories have bottomed out for the season with the first week of stable prices for bullocks in more than two months, and a slight increase in heifer prices confirmed in the pay sheet returns for last week.

ALTHOUGH supplies of cattle to the factories have increased slightly over the past week, there was no easing of the pressure on factories to maintain prices this week, with some of the processors having to pay slightly more for supplies.

A top factory price of 99p/lb was paid for R grade bullocks as prices across the country strengthened at the factories, following the dip in supplies last week.

HIGHER prices were paid for all types of cattle at the factories last week with the throughput of cattle also remaining very strong.

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