IFA - Irish Farmers Association

06/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/09/2024 14:07

Beef & Sheep Update 6th September

Beef Update

IFA Livestock Chairman Declan Hanrahan said strong market demand for beef sees prices remain firm but more is needed from the market. He said EU young bull prices have strengthened and when combined with the UK price the Bord Bia Prime export benchmark price has opened a gap of 12c/kg with the Prime Irish composite price. He said despite the upward movement in price over the past fortnight the increases are not keeping pace with prices in our key markets and these must move on further and faster. This week steers are making from €5.05kg to €5.15kg and heifers €5.10kg to €5.20kg. Young bulls R/u grades are ranging from €5.10kg to €5.30kg. Cull cows are making from €4.30kg to €4.90kg depending on the grade. Declan Hanrahan said factories must do more on beef price and reflect the realities of the market conditions we are selling into.

Beef Price Update 06/09/2024

Base Quotes Steer €5.05/5.15kg. Heifers €5.10/5.20kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €5.10/5.30Kg. Cows €4.30/4.90kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM - WK 35 (01.09.2024)

Animal Number Change prev wk % of total YTD YTD Change
Y Bulls 923 ▼-210 3% 78,960 ▼-6,849
Bull 591 ▼-91 2% 20,416 ▲619
Steer 161,21 ▲956 46% 427,813 ▼-14,264
Cow 7,748 ▲446 22% 288,571 ▲27,204
Heifer 9,498 ▲757 27% 332,306 ▲7,462
Veal-V 237 ▲216 1% 19,968 ▼-10,529
Veal-Z 27 ▲13 0% 1,359 ▲154
Total 35145 ▲2,087 100% 1169393 ▲3,665

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM - WK 35 (01.09.2024)

c/kg (Incl. VAT) U3 Change prev wk R3 Change prev wk O3 Change prev wk P+3 Change prev wk
Steers 540 ▲0 530 ▲1 517 ▲1 487 ▲1
Heifers 545 ▲0 535 ▲2 525 ▲2 479 ▼-1
Y Bulls 533 ▲1 523 ▲1 509 ▲3 502 ▲4
Cows 0 ▲0 487 ▼-2 456 ▼-1 442 ▲2

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

Steers Steers Heifers Heifers Y bull Y bull Cow
p/kg R3 R4L R3 R4L R3 R4L -O4L
24/08/2024 502.2 503.2 501.2 503.8 493.1 492.2 384.7
31/08/2024 504.6 507.1 498.7 506.6 494.4 492.6 386.4
Change ▲2 ▲4 ▲3 ▲3 ▲1 ▲0 ▲2
Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) 619.6 622.7 618.6 622.1 607.1 604.6 474.5

Euro Price for the Most Recent Week (€/KG Deadweight excl. VAT)

Country & Type 13.08.2022 12.08.2023 17.08.2024
EU + Y Bulls € 4.97 € 4.78 € 5.10
IE + Steers € 4.80 € 4.66 € 5.02
UK + Steers € 5.18 € 5.33 € 5.80

Live Cattle Exports 19th August

Sheep Update

IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher said lamb prices remain steady but higher prices are becoming a lot easier to negotiate with processors. He said factories are paying prices up to 20c/kg above quotes to secure lambs this week. Prices are ranging from €7.30kg to €7.60kg on weights to 22kg with higher deals for groups and larger lots. He said there is no surge of lambs coming through the system as total spring lamb throughput is back 77,517 head to date with overall throughput back over 185,000 head. He said it's a critical time of the year for sheep farmers and factories must return strong viable price to reflect production costs on farms and to ensure store lamb buyers remain active in marts. Adrian Gallagher said factories are very anxious for lambs and farmers should sell hard as they become fit.

Lamb Price Update 06/09/2024

Spring Lamb €7.30kg/7.60kg. Weights to 22kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.00/4.40/kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM - WK 35 (01.09.2024)

Animal Figure Change YTD YTD Change
Lambs/Hoggets 685 ▲306 895926 ▼-83,702
Spring Lambs 51103 ▲2,154 627890 ▼-77,516
Ewes and Rams 7852 ▼-274 176302 ▼-24,646
Light Lambs 0 ▼-2 105 ▼-25
TOTAL 59640 ▲2,184 1700223 ▼-185,889

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM - WK 35 (01.09.2024)

c/kg (Incl. VAT) This week Change prev. wk 2023 Change prev. yr
National Avg Price 861.14 ▼-1 675.73 ▲99
YTD Avg 733.19 ▼-2 624.81 ▲113

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

R3L Overall SQQ* Type of lamb
24/08/2024 667.1 665.5 New season Lamb
31/08/2024 665.3 663.5 New season Lamb
Change ▼-2 ▼-2
Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) 816.9 814.7 1

Live Sheep Exports 30th June