Marts: Resistance from producers to the lower prices being quoted by the factories for cattle and a carryover of stock bought forward at higher prices sustained prices at an average of at least 6c/kg (2p/lb) over the quoted rates last week.

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.

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: 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.

Cow prices gained 4c/kg with up to 273c/kg being paid for R-grade cows.

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.

Marts: There was no change in mainstream average prices paid by the factories for cattle last week, but minor downward adjustments are showing at the top end of the market, which may be early signs of an indicator of a ceiling on returns being positioned by the processors.

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

Marts: Beef prices gained 2c/kg at the factories last week, setting an autumn record of rising prices for eight consecutive weeks which brought the average R-grade price to almost 105p/lb.

Marts: Everything about the beef trade is positive right now for producers with a further increase in prices paid by the factories as the supply of bullocks rising.

Marts: Confidence in the beef trade has been further strengthened after another surge in the supply of cattle failed to dampen the upward trend in prices at the factories.