LMC: U-3 Prime Cattle at 360-362 p/kg As Supply Picture Improves
UK - Supply has picked up to meet demand across the UK which has lowered prices, according to the Livestock and Meat Commission.
13 August 2013
2 minute read
Deadweight Cattle Trade
Quotes from the plants this week for U-3 grade prime cattle were 360-362p/kg with quotes of 354 356p/kg for early next week. Quotes for good quality cows this week ranged from 275-300p/kg.
The plants have reported a steady supply of both prime cattle and cows to meet demand. Prime cattle throughput in the NI plants last week totalled 5,296 head bringing throughputforthe month of July to 27,507 head. This a three per cent reduction on the 28,334 prime cattle slaughtered in July 2012.
The number of cows processed during July 2013 totalled 8,407, a 10 per cent reduction on the 9,362 cows slaughtered in July 2012. A total of 631 prime cattle were imported from ROI for direct slaughter in NI plants last week with 131 cows also imported.
Meanwhile exports of cattle for slaughter in GB plants totalled 208 head, consisting of 166 prime cattle and 42 cows. The average steer price in NI last week was 368.7p/kg, downhalf a penny from the previous week while average heifer prices were up 3.1p/kg to 372.4p/kg.
The average U3 heifer price was up 6.3p/kg to 385.4p/kg while the O3 heifer price was up 7p/kg to 371.2p/kg. Meanwhile the average young bull price last week was unchanged from the previous
week at 349.2p/kg.
Liveweight Cattle Trade
In GB last week the majority of reported prices were back on the previous week with the average steer price back 3.3p/kg to 395.5p/kg and the average heifer price was back by 3.5p/kg to 393.4p/kg. The R3 steer price in GB last week was 395.9p/kg, back 4.4p/kg on the previous week with some variance shown across the regions.
In Scotland the R3 steer price was back by 5p/kg to 412.8p/kg while in Northern England the R3 steer price was back 8.6p/kg to 389.6p/kg. Meanwhile in the Midlands the R3 steer price increased by 2.8p/kg to 393.3p/kg. The R3 heifer price was back by 2.5p/kg in GB last week with prices back in the range of 2-6p/kg across the regions.
The one exception was the Midlands where the R3 heifer price was up 2.3p/kg to 386.6p/kg. Prices continued to come under pressure in ROI last week as more cattle start to become available with all reported prices back in euro terms.
However with an improvement in the value of euro against sterling to 1 euro = 86.90p stg resulted in average U3 steer and heifer prices increasing by the equivalent of 1.5p/kg
TheCattleSite News Desk
