Beef prices rise another 5-7c/kg in pre-Christmas boom
A Very The By By Categories Christmas Available Range The Supplies Prices To Petition The Between Stock Keen Fill For Across Further Improved Orders Have Processors Of Offered Driven Being For 7c/kg, 5
The trade for beef continues with unrelenting demand from the processors for as much stock as they can secure again this week, driving the prices upwards.
Prices being offered for supplies across the range of categories have improved by a further 5-7c/kg, driven by very keen competition between the processors for available stock to fill the Christmas orders.
"Did anyone foresee such pre-Christmas demand and prices?" and "How much longer is it going to last for?" are the imponderables making the leading topic for conversation among the beef men at present.
"It is not so much a scarcity of supply as the level of demand from the market for Irish beef," explained one beef finisher who admits to being one producer who did not expect prices at their current peak.
"But my hope is that the current trade does not lead to a false sense of confidence. We all know the volatility in beef prices over the decades and reckon it would be only a fool to think that it has gone for good," he added.
Steers are being quoted on a base of 530-540c/kg, while some deals at higher prices are being reported this week, especially where larger numbers of stock are available.
Heifers are quoted on a general base of 540-550c/kg, with more on offer for those with good numbers of well-finished heifers to offer.
The cream on the factory cheque is coming for those with Angus and Hereford to offer, with the breed bonus on top of the quality assurance now pushing the return over €6/kg, pushing their worth in excess of €2,000/head for many suppliers.
The young bulls are making 550-555c/kg or above for R-grade this week.
There is huge demand for well-finished cows at rising prices on offer. The good R-grade cows are making 515-525c/kg, and in some deals for the larger numbers, up to 10c/kg more in an all-time record trade.
Such is the level of demand for all grades of cull cows at the factories that animals from the dairy herds are meeting with exceptional demand for -O and P-grade, the likes of which the dairymen have never experienced.
