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Calf vendors are looking for stronger prices for suckled calves this autumn, as the finished steer deadweight price has topped £5/kg once more.
Many in the industry expect a more consistent back end to the cattle trade this year, with forage in plentiful supply and a beef price 40-50p/kg up on the year, adding £160 to a 360kg carcass.
See also: Find our live cattle auction data in one place
However, traders report that some second-quality O-grade cattle can be “well bought”, although opportunities are far scarcer than in last year’s drought-affected autumn.
Trade sources also report buyers being nervous about availability, as late October buying for Christmas orders draws near. Several Angus schemes report shortages of cattle.
Forward stores
Latest AHDB figures suggest finishers are putting money into forward stores, with October averages for continental-cross cattle so far averaging as follows:
Yearlings £1,079, up £151 on the year
18 months old £1,219, up £116 on the year
24 months old £1,284, up £118 on the year.
Suckled calves
Suckled calves were slightly heavier and noticeably dearer on the year at the Brecon and Radnor Suckled Calf Rearers sale at Sennybridge last week (17 October), which saw 182 head go under the hammer.
This was about 90 or so back on the year, which Ashley Symonds, auctioneer at Sennybridge for Clee Tompkinson & Francis, said follows a trend of suckler herd contraction and dispersals.
“Round here it tends to be old age and TB that are blamed,” Mr Symonds told Farmers Weekly. He said the top prices were all commercial bids coming from feeders supplying butchers and wholesalers, and liveweight buyers.
An entry of 93 steers averaged 307p/kg liveweight (up 18.78p/kg on the year) or £1,163 (up £132 on the year). Heifers levelled at 285p/kg liveweight (up 37p/kg) and £978 (up £151). Steers were 21kg heavier compared with last year’s drought-affected sale, weighing 378kg.
Tight supply
Auctioneer Mark Richardson of Harrison & Hetherington predicts that U-grade cattle will be tight in the future as so many continental suckler herds have disappeared over the years.
He said Kirkby Stephen’s Luke Fair of mostly 15-16-month-old cattle had averaged £200 dearer on the year. Heifers levelled at £1,371 and steers at £1,509, with 42 making between £1,800 and £2,130.
“These are mainly bids for the live ring and for finishing cattle for higher-end butchers and some farm shops,” said Mr Richardson.
“We are selling more suckled calves as opposed to stores here now because more vendors sell earlier. There are fewer calves being born in the Eden Valley and surrounding hills, but more are being sold younger to avoid wintering costs and feeding.”
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