Irish Cattle Prices Strengthen as Supplies Remain Tight
Irish Cattle Prices Strengthen as Supplies Remain Tight
Irish cattle prices have risen sharply as supplies remain constrained, with lower slaughter-age numbers and reduced cow throughput tightening factory availability. The upward price trend has pushed Irish beef values slightly ahead of equivalent UK levels for the first time in several months.
Throughput
Cattle throughput for the week ending 1 November 2025 totalled 29,776 head, down 12 % from 33,844 in the same week last year.
The first half of 2025 saw strong prime cattle numbers, but recent months have brought a notable contraction in availability.
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Prime kill year-to-date: down 6.7 % (−73,726 head)
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Cow kill year-to-date: down 19 %
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Total cattle kill (44 weeks): down 11 % year-on-year
Analysts attribute the tighter supply to a relatively favourable milk price, encouraging dairy retention, and to high culling rates in recent years, which have reduced the pool of slaughter-ready cows.
Quotes
Factory quotes have strengthened nationwide.
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Steers: €7.55–€7.65/kg
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Heifers: €7.60–€7.75/kg
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R-grade cows: €7.60/kg
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Well-fleshed O/P-grade cows: €7.20/kg
These increases reflect continued competition among processors for limited supplies.
Prices
Irish deadweight cattle prices continued their recent upward momentum following earlier seasonal declines.
For the week ending 1 November, the average R3 steer price rose 8c to €7.50/kg, edging 2c above the equivalent UK price (€7.48/kg).
Both Irish and UK markets have seen firming in recent weeks, with mainland Europe also trending higher.
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EU R3 young bull price: €7.18/kg — a record high, but still 30c/kg below the Irish equivalent.
All reported prices exclude VAT but include in-spec and breed bonuses where applicable.
Source: Bord Bia – Cattle Trade & Prices Report (Week Ending 1 November 2025)
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