beef price tracker

Pidae.m

Base price wrote: »

Just home from our Christmas party and came across this. I haven't read it in full.
http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/revealed-factory-feedlot-contribution-to-irish-beef-kill/

It's a bit of a misleading headline. Most of those feedlot owners are just normal fellas around the ring.

Bass Reeves

Pidae.m wrote: »

It's a bit of a misleading headline. Most of those feedlot owners are just normal fellas around the ring.

No they are not these are factory owned and controlled feedlots. Cattle are contracted in to be slaughtered at best . However in some cases feedlot owner only provides own labour and sheds, processor provides all feed, cattle and assumes all risk

Keep Sluicing

Pidae.m wrote: »

It's a bit of a misleading headline. Most of those feedlot owners are just normal fellas around the ring.

Yeah, i had feedlot status tor a year when i was locked up with TB (about 4 years ago)., and I'm the furtest thing from the image of a feedlot. 95% of my cattle get nothing but grass.
2 friends of my are officially feedlots this year as they are locked up. And they send less than a 100 cattle to the factory per year.

charolais0153

Keep Sluicing wrote: »

Yeah, i had feedlot status tor a year when i was locked up with TB (about 4 years ago)., and I'm the furtest thing from the image of a feedlot. 95% of my cattle get nothing but grass.
2 friends of my are officially feedlots this year as they are locked up. And they send less than a 100 cattle to the factory per year.

Had you double fencing?

Pidae.m

Bass Reeves wrote: »

No they are not these are factory owned and controlled feedlots. Cattle are contracted in to be slaughtered at best . However in some cases feedlot owner only provides own labour and sheds, processor provides all feed, cattle and assumes all risk

I'm feedlot and I'm not controlled by a factory

kk.man

What stuck out was the % that they control (particularly when stock are scarce) and that figure is increasing. Worring figures imo.

Cavanjack

charolais0153 wrote: »

Had you double fencing?

Looked about it here a few years ago and that put us off it. We share a lot of ditches with neighbours and they all had to be double fenced.

Willfarman

Bass Reeves wrote: »

No they are not these are factory owned and controlled feedlots. Cattle are contracted in to be slaughtered at best . However in some cases feedlot owner only provides own labour and sheds, processor provides all feed, cattle and assumes all risk

Not often your wrong bass but in this case you are. The figures they used are feedlots but not nessecarily factory owned or contracted. It’s their tb status. It means 2 tests a year, only selling to slaughter and you can buy from a tb restricted herd.

Goeasy123

Willfarman wrote: »

Not often your wrong bass but in this case you are. The figures they used are feedlots but not nessecarily factory owned or contracted. It’s their tb status. It means 2 tests a year, only selling to slaughter and you can buy from a tb restricted herd.

Yes I think you're right. Agriland have used a very sensationalist headline here. I personally know 3 or 4 farmers who feedlot status but are definitely not on forward contracts. They possibly have a 'good' relationship with a particular factory or two but are by no means used to manipulate the market in tight times

Mooooo

Article was poorly worded. All feedlots by definition in this country can only sell stock to a factory. They'd want to do a bit more journalism to actually find out how many are factory operated so to speak

Goeasy123

Mooooo wrote: »

Article was poorly worded. All feedlots by definition in this country can only sell stock to a factory. They'd want to do a bit more journalism to actually find out how many are factory operated so to speak

Bit more actual journalism would be great. I'd be really interested to know the true numbers controlled through ownership or by feedlot contracting using a farmers sheds & their labour but with the factory buying the cattle & the inputs themselves. Definitely makes a difference to the price when supplies are tightening but to what extent I don't know

Pidae.m

Cavanjack wrote: »

Looked about it here a few years ago and that put us off it. We share a lot of ditches with neighbours and they all had to be double fenced.

Double testing and no comp for any reactor.

yewtree

Mooooo wrote: »

Article was poorly worded. All feedlots by definition in this country can only sell stock to a factory. They'd want to do a bit more journalism to actually find out how many are factory operated so to speak

You will be a while waiting for agriland to do any journalism.

Bass Reeves

First off not all feedlots are factory controlled. Yes they have picked out the restricted feedlots. However not all feedlots are restricted. Processors as well themselves will have restricted and unrestricted feedlots. Just to put the raw figures into context there are 338 of these restricted feedlots that kill 316K cattle or about 930 cattle/feedlot on average. Most of these restricted feedlots will be killing only a few hundred cattle/year. In general they will not be contracted and have no direct links to processors.

But looking at the figures there must be a good few of these feedlots slaughtering several thousand cattle per year. Last June when killing the first of my cattle there was an artic load of heifers arrive at local factory. That was the third load that week for that factory according to my agent from this particular finisher and it had been regular for the previous 5-6 weeks. Not sure how many are on an artic but I imagine that you would be at 40/load.

While Agriland have not got the complete data. They are only looking at restricted feedlots it is my understanding that processors own and control both restricted and unrestricted feedlots. As I said the raw data tells a story. What is needed is that the competition authority needs to investigate the feedlots that are directly owned and controlled by the processors. It need to ascertain there costs, the amount they are paid for cattle over and above ordinary farmers that have no access to these contracts. It need to look at the what is paid for cattle to directly owned and controlled feedlots as opposed to contracted feedlots as well.

Some lads here get a bit protective when some of these issues are highlighted. However if as many believe that cattle in some of these feedlots are paid for at a much higher price to what is received by non contracted finishers it will be to all our advantages. TBH Agriland has shone only a partial light on it. If you look at the map Agriland shows with restricted feedlot number for 2017 and 2018 and take the lower figure in both year for each county,then ignore counties with less that 10 restricted feedlots. The reason you look at the lower figure is it gives a clue as to the number that are fulltime restricted feedlots and counties with lower numbers are usually farmer feedlots are are genuinely restricted due to TB. You hit on a number of around 100 feedlots that are restricted fulltime. They are based in a number of counties how do counties like Carlow, Laois and Meath have such a high number of restriced herd numbers but in area's not noted for TB hotspots.

Pidae.m

Bass Reeves wrote: »

First off not all feedlots are factory controlled. Yes they have picked out the restricted feedlots. However not all feedlots are restricted. Processors as well themselves will have restricted and unrestricted feedlots. Just to put the raw figures into context there are 338 of these restricted feedlots that kill 316K cattle or about 930 cattle/feedlot on average. Most of these restricted feedlots will be killing only a few hundred cattle/year. In general they will not be contracted and have no direct links to processors.

But looking at the figures there must be a good few of these feedlots slaughtering several thousand cattle per year. Last June when killing the first of my cattle there was an artic load of heifers arrive at local factory. That was the third load that week for that factory according to my agent from this particular finisher and it had been regular for the previous 5-6 weeks. Not sure how many are on an artic but I imagine that you would be at 40/load.

While Agriland have not got the complete data. They are only looking at restricted feedlots it is my understanding that processors own and control both restricted and unrestricted feedlots. As I said the raw data tells a story. What is needed is that the competition authority needs to investigate the feedlots that are directly owned and controlled by the processors. It need to ascertain there costs, the amount they are paid for cattle over and above ordinary farmers that have no access to these contracts. It need to look at the what is paid for cattle to directly owned and controlled feedlots as opposed to contracted feedlots as well.

Some lads here get a bit protective when some of these issues are highlighted. However if as many believe that cattle in some of these feedlots are paid for at a much higher price to what is received by non contracted finishers it will be to all our advantages. TBH Agriland has shone only a partial light on it. If you look at the map Agriland shows with restricted feedlot number for 2017 and 2018 and take the lower figure in both year for each county,then ignore counties with less that 10 restricted feedlots. The reason you look at the lower figure is it gives a clue as to the number that are fulltime restricted feedlots and counties with lower numbers are usually farmer feedlots are are genuinely restricted due to TB. You hit on a number of around 100 feedlots that are restricted fulltime. They are based in a number of counties how do counties like Carlow, Laois and Meath have such a high number of restriced herd numbers but in area's not noted for TB hotspots.

My original point was that the headline gave the impression that the factorys owned 18% of all cattle killed because they came from feedlots which is complete boll icks.

Obviously I can't speak for outside munster but it says there is 22 feedlots in Cork and 2 in kerry. I can probably name 20 from that list including myself who have zero afilliation or loyalty to any factory.

When feedlots started up about 12 years ago it was pretty easy to get one but in 2012 they had major reforms. Anyone with less than 200 cattle were ****e.d out and they weren't that hot on anyone rearing calves. Any lads that were milking cows or had sucklers were given a second herd number. Then again 3 years ago the goalposts were moved and you had to have your feedlot in one townland which is some pain in the hole if you want to rent ground or had an outside place.

Rant over.... Back to Die Hard.

wrangler

Pidae.m wrote: »

My original point was that the headline gave the impression that the factorys owned 18% of all cattle killed because they came from feedlots which is complete boll icks.

Obviously I can't speak for outside munster but it says there is 22 feedlots in Cork and 2 in kerry. I can probably name 20 from that list including myself who have zero afilliation or loyalty to any factory.

When feedlots started up about 12 years ago it was pretty easy to get one but in 2012 they had major reforms. Anyone with less than 200 cattle were ****e.d out and they weren't that hot on anyone rearing calves. Any lads that were milking cows or had sucklers were given a second herd number. Then again 3 years ago the goalposts were moved and you had to have your feedlot in one townland which is some pain in the hole if you want to rent ground or had an outside place.

Rant over.... Back to Die Hard.

Agriland playing to the audience........ again

Keep Sluicing

charolais0153 wrote: »

Had you double fencing?

With my neighbours, Yes. I'm bordering the sea more than land.

dryan

Any price updates for bullocks.
Any sign of a price hike on he horizon?

Thinking of moving a few on this week.

Jb1989

dryan wrote: »

Any price updates for bullocks.
Any sign of a price hike on he horizon?

Thinking of moving a few on this week.

Haven't heard about bullocks tho,
Heifers are 3.85 atm
looking like a pull down at end of month if anything, up to 40 cent.
closer we get to an uncertain brexit lower price will get.
2/3 week waiting list for heifers in kepak atm

patsy_mccabe

Guy I know that kills a lot of cattle says it's next to impossible to get cattle into factories at the moment.

Bass Reeves

Jb1989 wrote: »

Haven't heard about bullocks tho,
Heifers are 3.85 atm
looking like a pull down at end of month if anything, up to 40 cent.
closer we get to an uncertain brexit lower price will get.
2/3 week waiting list for heifers in kepak atm

Very hard to see such a pull in prices. It would put us below beef from Poland and Holland. While the processors have backed up cattle it is also hard to see cattle kill staying at above 35K for much longer. I cannot see a price rise but neither can I see a drop in prices especially as much as that. If prices go down much below present levels and especially if they go below 3.5/kg base we will be selling the cheapest beef with the exception of Brazil

kevthegaff

What's outlook on fr cows, have a few to move in 3 weeks

Hershall

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Guy I know that kills a lot of cattle says it's next to impossible to get cattle into factories at the moment.

Rang local factory man saturday full for this week but no problem killing next week all be it at 375/385.......

Cavanjack

Back in early/mid November Factories were wondering where they would get cattle this spring after such a strong kill through out the back end. It continued on for the rest of November and December. I'd expect (hope) numbers will tighten within the next month.

Bass Reeves

Cavanjack wrote: »

Back in early/mid November Factories were wondering where they would get cattle this spring after such a strong kill through out the back end. It continued on for the rest of November and December. I'd expect (hope) numbers will tighten within the next month.

My opinion in September was because of silage situation and cost of rations lads would opt to finish cattle as fast as possible. Processors were afraid of a gap from mid November to start of February and I imagine contracted feedlots to feed for this window. The good weather allowed lads to finish a lot more cattle off grass this back end. They held the contracted cattle back as long as possible and have to put them through the system now as sheds need to be refilled for the gap in May and early June. However I expect that some lads housed from mid October and these cattle are backing up. Hard to see numbers drop back before late March.

CloughCasey1

Bass Reeves wrote: »

My opinion in September was because of silage situation and cost of rations lads would opt to finish cattle as fast as possible. Processors were afraid of a gap from mid November to start of February and I imagine contracted feedlots to feed for this window. The good weather allowed lads to finish a lot more cattle off grass this back end. They held the contracted cattle back as long as possible and have to put them through the system now as sheds need to be refilled for the gap in May and early June. However I expect that some lads housed from mid October and these cattle are backing up. Hard to see numbers drop back before late March.

Id be aiming to have cattle finished for 6 week period from June into early mid July. Once Galway races pass price drops off.

kk.man

Supervalue have round roast on offer this weekend at 5.95 per kg....not a good omen.

Base price

Turkey suspends live imports.
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/turkey-suspends-live-imports-of-cattle/?fbclid=IwAR3FUrI6p5RRD-yP1uks6X6OvmF73E_qQBHdMdp6NeqY5UCCUvPAXLCK3G0

Never wrestle with pigs

Very big feedlot full to the rafters for the first time in a good while. Must be feeding strong the last 4/5 weeks. They either see a dip in numbers coming or got them for nothing.

patsy_mccabe

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Very big feedlot full to the rafters for the first time in a good while. Must be feeding strong the last 4/5 weeks. They either see a dip in numbers coming or got them for nothing.

Or they have nowhere to go. Remember not in their interest to kill when prices are low.