In the week ending 26 January, overall deadweight cattle prices rose slightly, and have shown some stability over the last few weeks. This week’s price move was due to a rise in prices for plainer types, with cattle meeting R4L and R3 specifications more likely to have lost ground. The GB deadweight all-prime average rose by 0.6p to settle at 350.0p/kg. The measure now stands around 8p below year-earlier levels. Estimated prime cattle slaughter picked up to 35,400 head, after stabilising last week. This throughput was 700 higher than last week and 4000 head higher than the same week last year. Combined with the positive move for prices, this implies slightly stronger beef demand. Overall steer prices rose by 1.2p to 351.7p/kg, but those meeting the R4L specification fell fractionally. Heifer prices recorded a similar pattern, but with a more marginal gain overall, and a slightly larger loss for R4L carcases.
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