Beef price tracker 2

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.

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.

5.05 bullocks

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

https://www.northernsound.ie/news/cavan-beef-expert-says-small-farms-under-threat-241980

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

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 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

I got a 5c on the flat rate anyway, not 100% on the grid as they were all underage but I presume you do.

What was an O+3= 4 yr old Saler cow 317kgs worth last week?

Sorry, i meant 317kgs Carcase weight in the factory.

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

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

Nothing wrong with that.

Just sold 4 empty FR heifers in Kilkenny. Weighed 411kgs made €850 a head.