Record cattle prices for March
The firm beef market continues with deadweight cattle prices reaching a record high in March.
Ongoing tight supply and robust demand saw prices rise in markets on Tuesday this week to put medium steers at 213.5p/kg and medium heifers at 223.34p/kg.
On the deadweight market, cull cow prices rose above mid-2012 levels to reach an all time high, with cows graded O4L averaging 290p/kg deadweight, for only the second time ever in the week ended 16 March, according to EBLEX senior analyst Debbie Butcher.
Prices have fallen back slightly from this peak.
Prime cattle slaughterings in February were around 2% lower than the same time last year, at 155,000 head.
However, cull cow slaughterings rose by 7% and young bulls 2% year on year.
Despite better throughputs overall, total beef and veal production in February was almost 3% lower year on year at 68,300t, with carcass weights also lower than last year.
UK beef and veal export volumes were 16% in January year on year totalling 10,200t, only slightly behind 2011’s good export year. Ireland started the year as the primary destination for UK product, said Ms Butcher.
Imports were up 4% due to increased volumes of produce from outside the EU.
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