IFA - Irish Farmers Association

04/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/26/2024 05:13

Beef & Sheep Update 26th April

Beef Update

IFA Livestock Chairman Declan Hanrahan said factories must do more for farmers on beef price. He said beef farmers with cattle to sell now have made huge investments over the past number of months to have cattle ready for factories at this time of the year. Without these farmers factories would not be able to service our key markets with a guaranteed weekly supply of beef. He said its not acceptable how factories are treating farmers over the past number of weeks, dropping prices and slowing kills to manage the tight supplies. UK and EU prices are strong, beef supplies are tight with indications for further tightening of supplies here and across our key market in the coming weeks and months. He said factories must step up and do more to ensure farmers production costs are fully reflected in beef prices. This week steers are making from €5.15kg to €5.25kg while heifers range from €5.20kg to €5.30kg. Cull cows are making from €4.30kg to €5.00kg. Young Bulls R/U are ranging from €5.25kg to €5.50kg.

Beef Price Update 25/04/2024

Base Quotes Steer €5.15/5.25kg. Heifers €5.20/5.30kg. Higher deals and flat prices for larger and specialist lots. Y Bulls R/U €5.25/5.50Kg. Cows €4.30/5.00kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM - WK 16 (21.04.2024)

Animal Number Change prev wk % of total YTD YTD Change
Y Bulls 1,703 ▼-246 5% 39,593 ▼-1,652
Bull 672 ▲59 2% 7,376 ▼-114
Steer 12,603 ▼-198 37% 195,227 ▲5,196
Cow 8,019 ▼-97 24% 138,553 ▲17,626
Heifer 9,907 ▼-39 29% 165,269 ▲8,196
Veal-V 880 ▼-82 3% 16,390 ▼-13,330
Veal-Z 32 ▼-6 0% 859 ▲90
Total 33,816 ▼-609 100% 563,267 ▲3,665

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM - WK 16 (21.04.2024)

c/kg (Incl. VAT) U3 Change prev wk R3 Change prev wk O3 Change prev wk P+3 Change prev wk
Steers 552 ▼-2 546 ▲0 535 ▲0 503 ▲2
Heifers 564 ▼-1 551 ▲0 540 ▲0 492 ▲3
Y Bulls 543 ▲0 532 ▲0 514 ▼-4 504 ▼-8
Cows 0 ▲0 488 ▲0 444 ▲1 452 ▲28

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
13/04/2024 493.4 494.8 492.5 494.8 482.8 480.9 380.2
20/04/2024 493.4 495.9 492.9 496.5 482.4 479.4 380.5
Change ▲0 ▲1 ▲0 ▲2 ▼-0 ▼-2 ▼-0
Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) 605.8 608.9 605.2 609.7 592.3 588.7 467.2

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

Country & Type 09.04.2022 01.04.2023 06.04.2024
EU + Y Bulls € 5.17 € 5.02 € 5.04
IE + Steers € 4.78 € 5.28 € 5.19
UK + Steers € 5.19 € 5.62 € 5.69

Live Cattle ExportsW/C 15.04.2024

[Link]Source: Bord Bia

Sheep Update

Acknowledging the launch of the awareness campaign for dog owners by Minister Heather Humphries, IFA Sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said the campaign is important to remind dog owners of their responsibilities. He said the campaign rightly identifies owners as those ultimately responsible for the actions and behaviour of their dogs, and for ensuring their dogs are under effective control at all times. "The irresponsible behaviour of some owners has and continues to cause devastation on sheep farms. This is unacceptable and must stop. IFA will continue with our policy of 'No Dogs Allowed' on or near lands where animals are kept as this is the only way to prevent the horrific attacks on sheep that occur across the country. "The awareness campaign launched by the Minister is certainly helpful, but in reality, we need much more robust enforcement on the ground of the obligations of dog owners," he said.

Lamb Price Update 25/04/2024

Hogget's €9.50/9.80/kg up to €9.80kg. Weights to 24kg. Spring Lamb €9.70/10.00kg. Weights to 21kg. Higher deals groups/larger lots. Ewes €4.10/4.40/kg.

Supply Figures as Reported by DAFM - WK 16 (21.04.2024)

Animal Figure Change YTD YTD Change
Lambs/Hoggets 28,901 ▼-11,420 714,184 ▼-66,878
Spring Lambs 1,925 ▲586 13,819 ▲2,723
Ewes and Rams 3,702 ▼-605 77,380 ▼-7,136
Light Lambs 2 ▼-2 55 ▼-26
TOTAL 34,530 ▼-11,441 805,438 ▼-71,317

Official Irish Prices as Reported by DAFM - WK 16 (21.04.2024)

c/kg (Incl. VAT) This week Change prev. wk 2023 Change prev. yr
National Avg Price 861.14 ▲43 675.73 ▲188
YTD Avg 733.19 ▲11 624.81 ▲122

Official GB Prices as Reported by AHDB

R3L Overall SQQ* Type of lamb
13/04/2024 856.6 850.7 Old season lamb
20/04/2024 866.1 860.5 Old season lamb
Change ▲10 ▲10
Price in c/kg (Incl VAT) 1063.5 1056.6

Live Sheep Exports March 31st 2024

[Link]Source: Bord Bia