Beef price tracker 2

2022 was an unreal year for strong prices. But unfortunately it looks likely it will be short lived. Grain, milk, beef all taking a hammering now.

They’re only working 3 days a week in some factories rather than buy dear cattle from farmers, sometimes I think the kill numbers can’t be to he truth…

Off topic but has anyone finished dairy cross cattle out of the shed this year? If so what type of weights would they be coming into?

Or would many finish them in May and June?

I have been talking to an agent the past few weeks and he said that they are trying to build up the supply of cattle by cutting back the days that they work and he said it has worked as it’s taking time to get cattle in at the moment

When did yoiu buy these and roughly at what weights/price

heifers - killing heifers at under 24 months is hard to see profit ,pay better to store and kill at higher weights in my book

What type of heifers are you selling and when did you buy them?

If changing your system when do you plan on finishing your cattle?

Im looking into doing calf to beef, maybe selling the first week of June around 26 or 27 months

White heads and Angus heifers will fatten handy under 24 months without pushing and will go over fat unknown to you. You have to remember they tend to be a small carcass.

From memory I thinks round 300ks to 320Kgs.

We are talking about dairy x cattle

Anyway back to factory prices .got quoted only 4.40/4.50 for p and o cows in another local ,can not believe they are so flush with cows

May and june as in into the 3rd year.... No Money in that.... Especially with dairy type AAX and HEX stock.

Now the 18m Angus beef is myth too. Best i can finish some is 21 m but most at 23/24

Too many lads cannot see beyond there own system. There is many profitable systems out there. Earlier this week bought four Friesian yearling bulls average weight 265kg ( weighting nothing) they cost 395 euro per head.

They will kill some time next summer. I expect that they will leave a few bob. Watching the marts I saw Friesian bull calves 4 months old for 200 euro. If you did them right I expect they would leave a decent margin autumn '24 or early summer '25. I expect that hanging the better 50-60% in autumn 24 and the rest the following May/June ( depending on the spring) would be the optimum. If you have decent silage and a shortish (110-130 day) winter overwintering cattle is not as expensive as lads think.

Mature fully grown cattle do some thrive when they hit grass. They virtually fatten themselves. Saw dairy cross heifers that are two year olds. He hung the best of them last October-December @ 12-1300 euro he said. He separated them early in the autumn, these got no ration and we're out until December. They went back out mid February ( admittedly they were the only stock he put out). I say they will hang up around 1650 euro. They are fattening on grass only.

Factories trying to drop prices but getting good resistance from what I hear. A lot of lads wont move bullocks less than 5.20. Grass is growing no rush and silage getting done.

I have being thinking the same and agree with both of you. The big payments are now gone so there is no cushion. The big corporates still want cheap food but the farmer cant sustain it. Are we looking at farmer protests across Europe? something will have to give.

With regard to 5 euro plus beef prices....i made more money off beef when it was 4 euro. Thing is when the product falls the inputs are slower to come down an example would be plastic this year has not fallen much.

At what price would you call the norm?