Meat Indicator Prices (Beef)

In our weekly price review for beef cattle, the prices for the week beginning the 3rd  of February 2012 are the following:

Weaner Calves:

000-200 Kg:      R21.50 per kg live weight

201-240 Kg:        R20.50 per kg live weight

240–300 Kg:        R19.50 per kg live weight

Slaughter prices:

A2-A3   R30.00 per kg carcass mass

B2-B3   R28.50 per kg carcass mass

C2-C3   R27.00 per kg carcass mass

Bulls:    R27.00 per kg carcass mass

Calf prices have dropped from the previous weeks levels. Calves are generally still in short supply. The drop in prices is still the direct result of lower beef prices and increasing feed prices. Good rains have also fallen over most of the production areas and this together with a lower calf price could result in producers holding back and not selling their calves. Although calf prices have come down considerably, the calf market is not expected to crash and this has been caused by the demand for calves staying high. Producers should however be aware of calf buyer weight preferences which could change from time to time. 

On the beef side, prices have decreased from the previous weeks levels.  This drop in price is still the direct result of a short term over supply of beef and a lower than normal demand. The over supply is not expected to last very long and it  now appears that demand might only improve in the next month which implies that beef prices will remain under pressure until such time that demand improves.

Information supplied by Lombard Livestock Services.

For more information contact Hantie Lombard at hantie@hixnet.co.za.