While some factories had been trying to buy cattle for less last week, there seems a general acceptance this week that the trade is moving steadily along.

This means that base quotes for steers remain in the €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg range, while heifers in general are moving at 10c/kg more, in the €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg range.

As always, there are outliers, especially for in-spec heifers, which may squeeze a few cents more in places, but the overall assessment of the trade is that it is steady as it goes. On bonuses, 10c/kg to 20c/kg is the going rate for in-spec Angus and Hereford steers and heifers.

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Bonus territory changing

We continue to hear several reports of flexibility by factories with specification for Angus and Hereford cattle, which suggests that they are doing the chasing.

Also, producers in the Certified Irish Angus scheme, with cattle coming ready for the factory, should note that there will be a change in the bonus structure from 7 September.

From that date, a 10c/kg bonus will be paid on qualifying in-spec Angus cattle plus an additional 5c/kg for participation in AgNav, the sustainability platform developed by Bord Bia, Teagasc and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation.

Cow culling

Demand for cow beef continues to be strong, but cow culling is high in the many parts of the country where grass is scarce and less so in the north and west, where there has been more rain over recent days and grass growth.

In the main, P+3 cows are getting €5.80/kg to €5.90/kg, better-quality O grading cows are making €5.90/kg to €6.00/kg and good R grading cows are in the €6.10/kg to 6.20/kg range.

Where farmers are forced to move plainer cows due to lack of grass, they are in a weaker negotiating position.

Turning to bulls, numbers are scarce this time of year, but where they are being sold, U grades continue to make around €6.50/kg, Rs are at €6.40/kg and under-16-month bulls are operating from a base of €6.20/kg to €6.30/kg.