with carcass weights dropping ,over a 12 month period, if you were to judge it to two years ago how many less cattle would it be when you compare the lowers weights to now
Was in a lairage recently and totally agree some were no more than stores imo. Cattle dealer dropped off a double, he must have got them cheap in a mart.
They are paying me €5 base on these 4 bullocks now. Agent said they are mad for cattle. Looking like a price rise tomorrow for next week. Happy days. I will post details when I get them. Agent said they are were fleshy enough anyway. But we will see what the factory chaps say!!
The results are in, as they say on TV.
Breed LW DW KO% Grade Price Paid €
HEX 656 325 50 O-4- 4.98 1,618
SIX 624 326 52 O=3- 5.02 1,635
LMX 608 326 54 O=2+ 4.96 1,616
AAX 540 269 50 O=3+ 5.22 1,402
The SIX cost €1,300 in April this year. The other 3 cost €800 in April 2023. Happy enough. I have better, bigger ones left to go.
Any quotes this week?
5.05 bullocks
A lot of rainfall in the West driving cattle into the sheds, marts and factories over the past few weeks. Mostly underfinished cattle going to the factories are propping up the kill numbers that are on Agriland/Farmer's Journal etc. €5.05 freely available and no problem getting well finished cattle killed this week. Is this the end of the price rises and back to the gradual autumn decline we're all accustomed to?
I'd be driving a hard bargain as is possible if I had well finished cattle at the moment they are very scarce as you've mentioned. There still paying top dollar for heavy cows so fed cattle have to be worth a premium also
€5.10 on the grid
€5.30 flat for others (most overage)
https://www.northernsound.ie/news/cavan-beef-expert-says-small-farms-under-threat-241980
160 herds giving a qtr of the kill, wow.
I disagree about his pint about the factories reacting to the beef plan campaign, the beef plan was a reaction to the factories.
They have the trade sown up tighter than the Kinihans have coke in Ireland, no wonder they went that route, too soft amd straight to run a beef factory.
These big farms are depending on sourcing stores that are 50-120 days from finish. It has left the man that is willing to carry cattle 12 months plus with plenty of cattle to buy. These farmers finishing mainly off grass are starting yo make a nice twist.
Processors big problem will be if these large farms struggle to source the stores they require. Adam Woods sees everything through the eye of a suckler cow. Ya the suckler farmer finishing20-50 head is disappearing but any lad getting in now is starting to take to finish.
Neighbour used to sell his AA&HE bullocjs @440-480kgs.. He started buying heifers calves a couple years ago. He started to finish them. He said it use to take a good bullock to make 1k. Now a handy heifer makes 1200 euro and they cost less than 100 euro more to finish
Where is that? Moyvalley quoted €5.20/kg flat for AA and HE heifers, then they upped it to €5.25/kg. They aint getting them…
Totally agree the big boys killing cattle with 100 day turnaround. The trick is the smaller finisher to keep away from them boys in the ring. There's value to be had in lighter animals.
I’ve the tanks down in the field beside the road since yesterday. On meal last month 5ths a day my usual agent rang me this evening, must have spotted them as they drove by. He can sing for them I’ve had two other agents look at them this last week. Let the bidding war begin. Mix of aax and continentals. Circa 650kgs up and over 730ish
I got the sheet back for the cattle.
Still working out what flat rate to get as opposed to the grid price.
Did the maths last night and I was €300 better off with the flat rate.
There was a few underage in that group that brought the difference down as they would have been better on the grid, but I'll know better for the next negotiations.
I should have pushed for 30c minimum above grid price for flat rate.
Flat was 5.30/5.35 for breed bonus, and grid base was 5.10
But would you get the breed bonus for the overage, usually you don’t? I know this year it’s different it’s a sellers market
I got a 5c on the flat rate anyway, not 100% on the grid as they were all underage but I presume you do.
Anyone killing cattle through the abp of avantage scheme at the moment?..seem to be good bonuses for the right type of stock
What was an O+3= 4 yr old Saler cow 317kgs worth last week?
470
Sorry, i meant 317kgs Carcase weight in the factory.
470 per kilo I'd say he meant
is a Speckled Park bullock worth more on his own somewhere else or will I just let him off with the rest of the load. Never had one before. Thanks
If he's around the same weight and condition as the rest, then leave him off with them.
Factories or agents at marts don't pay more for nice markings in my experience.
The most you will get in a bonus is 10c/kg if there is one. That is 28-33 euro minus a fiver on such bullocks.
However Will you get the sane base a d transport will eat into the cost as well.
Zero sum game even IMO at best
is a fiver flat a good price for Ps and Os for middle of the road bullocks. Some hardy lads on it and a few near 36 months.
Nothing wrong with that.
liffey meats- cull dairy cows P+4= 4.40 per kilo. aax bullock o+4- 5.38 QA and breed bonus
Just sold 4 empty FR heifers in Kilkenny. Weighed 411kgs made €850 a head.
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