Beef costs in Northern Eire and throughout the UK have lifted considerably over the previous variety of weeks, with final week seeing the very best R3 steer value ever recorded in Northern Eire.

Throughout the water in Britain, the R3 steer value elevated for the 18th consecutive week final week, bringing the bottom value to the equal of slightly below €5.70/kg for an R3 grade bullock.

In line with the Livestock and Meat Fee (LMC), the typical R3 steer value final week within the Republic of Eire was €5.33/kg, which is 30c/kg (25.7p/kg) beneath the worth in Northern Eire.

This equates to a €102.46 (£89.95) differential on an R3 grade steer with a 350kg carcass. In the identical week final 12 months, the R3 steer value within the Republic of Eire was 26c/kg (22.9p/kg) behind the identical value in Northern, or €91.29 (£80.15) on a 350kg R3 steer carcass.

Irish beef cattle going north

Prime cattle imports for direct slaughter haven’t largely impacted the prime cattle kill in Northern Eire in latest months, largely owing to the diminished availability of cattle for slaughter within the Republic of Eire and a robust demand for Irish cattle from southern vegetation.

Final week there have been 294 prime cattle moved from the Republic of Eire to Northern Eire for direct slaughter in native processing vegetation.

This brings the overall numbers of prime cattle exported from the Republic of Eire to Northern Eire over the past eight weeks to 1,719 head.

These imports have accounted for about 3% of the overall NI prime cattle throughput throughout the eight weeks ending April 22, 2023. This can be a decline of 34 head on the corresponding interval in 2022, when prime cattle imports totalled 1,753 head from the republic.

Cow numbers coming into NI for direct slaughter elevated by 94 head from the corresponding interval throughout 2022, to whole 796 head throughout the eight weeks ending April 22, 2023.

Nonetheless, with the cow commerce within the Republic of Eire presently forward of Northern Eire, it’s anticipated these numbers will decline correspondingly.