Irish Beef Throughput Up Slightly with Strong Demand
Irish Beef Throughput Up Slightly, Prices Remain Strong but Level Off
The latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal that 35,717 cattle were processed in approved plants in the week ending April 20th, 2025. This brings the total throughput for the year to date to 574,563 head, a 2% increase (or 11,296 head) compared to the 563,267 cattle processed during the same period in 2024.
Prime cattle processing in the first 16 weeks of 2025 reached 431,680 head, marking a 1.8% rise year-on-year. However, the slaughter mix has seen some shifts, with a notable decline in young bull throughput early in the year now evening out to levels similar to the same week in 2024. Steer and heifer throughput has seen a slight decrease compared to 2024. Cow throughput remains robust, with 99,507 cows processed so far this year, a significant 13% increase from 2024 levels.
While quotes from major processors have shown a consistent upward trend, reflecting a current balance between supply and demand favouring producers, the trade appears to have levelled off this week. Base quotes for steers are currently in the range of €7.50-€7.60/kg, with heifers starting at €7.60/kg to €7.70/kg. The trade for the smaller volume of young bulls remains steady, with prices of €7.50-€7.70/kg available for U grading animals under 24 months, and flat prices reaching as high as €7.80/kg for R grading bulls.
Well-fleshed O grading cows are being quoted at €7.00/kg, with good quality R grading cows fetching up to €7.30/kg. Notably, a significant proportion of the cow kill in recent months has achieved a P conformation score, leading to considerable price variations based on grade, weight, and overall quality.
For the week ending April 20th, 2025, the average price paid by Irish beef processors for R3 steers decreased slightly by 4c/kg to €7.69/kg. Despite this weekly dip, this price remains a substantial 248c/kg higher than the corresponding week in 2024. The average reported R3 heifer price for the same week increased by 4c/kg to €7.73/kg, placing it 247c/kg ahead of the equivalent week last year. It’s important to note that these reported prices exclude VAT but include all bonus payments.
Across Europe, young bull prices have maintained a strong position throughout 2025. The average reported price for R3 grading young bulls in the EU was €6.40/kg (excluding VAT) for the week ending April 20th, 2025, which is 138c/kg higher than the same week in 2024. In the UK, tighter cattle supplies and consistent demand have kept deadweight beef prices strong, with the average R3 steer price increasing slightly this week to €8.16/kg for the week ending April 20th, 2025.
