LMC: Non Assured Penalties At £150

UK - Finished steers went for 225p/kg last week, up 5p/kg on the week before with quotes bunching around 300-310p/kg and penalties of £150 per head for non quality assured cattle, according to market analysts at the Livestock and Meat Commission Northern Ireland.
calendar icon 21 May 2013
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Deadweight Cattle Trade

Base quotes for U-3 grade prime cattle last week increased slightly to 372-376p/kg with the 8p/kg bonus available for steers and heifers that kill out in spec, write LMC experts. Quotes for cows generally range from 300-310p/kg with one plant quoting a price of 280p/kg.

The plants are continuing to apply penalties of up to £150 per head for non quality assured cattle. With the plants reporting a tightening in the availability of cattle last week the prime cattle slaughterings in NI the previous week totalled 6,530 head. This is a reduction of 800 head on the previous week and represents an 11 per cent decline in throughput.

Imports of prime cattle for direct slaughter from ROI last week totalled 471 head with 49 cows also imported. The cow kill the previous week was back 221 head on the previous week to 1,439 head, a decline of 13 per cent.

A total of 110 cows were exported to ROI last week for direct slaughter taking the number exported for the year to date to 3,567 head. This is a 45 per cent increase on the 2,463 cows exported during the same period in 2012.

Meanwhile exports to GB for direct slaughter last week totalled 340 head taking the total for the year to date to 5,399 head. In the same period last year 1,760 head were exported to GB for direct slaughter. 

The R3 steer price in NI last week was 380.6p/kg, up 2.6p/kg from the previous week while the R3 heifer price was up 2p/kg to 383.4p/kg.

In GB last week the average R3 steer price increased by 3.1p/kg to 402.1p/kg with the R3 heifer price up 1.9p/kg to 398.6p/kg. R3 steer and heifer prices were up on the previous week in all of the UK regions with the exception of the Midlands where prices remained fairly steady.

Average steer prices in the Midlands and Southern England were within 1p/kg of the previous week while the average steer price in Northern England was back 3.1p/kg to 403.2p/kg. In Scotland the average steer price was up 3.5p/kg to 409.8p/kg.

Average heifer prices were fairly steady across the regions with the exception of Southern England where the price increased by 4.9p/kg to 384.6p/kg.

In ROI a strengthening in the trade has seen the price paid for all reported grades increase on the previous week. The R3 steer price in ROI last week was the equivalent of 362.8p/kg while the R3 heifer price was 385.4p/kg.

This Week's Marts

Finished first quality steers sold to an average of 225p/kg liveweight this week compared to an average of 220p/kg last week. The trade for second quality finished steers was similar to last week with an average price of 202p/kg.

First quality finished heifers sold to an average of 220p/kg with second quality selling to an average of 197p/kg.

Heavier store cattle continue to be a good trade with first quality heifers over 450kg selling to an average of 210p/kg (av 200p/kg last week). Bullocks in the 400-500kg weight range sold to a top price of 240p/kg with first quality selling to an average of 218p/kg and second quality to an average of 192p/kg.

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