beef price tracker

tim04750 wrote: »

Not knocking ya Pudsey but I'm sure you'll agree this crack of quoting numbers of cattle killed in comparison to last year is not an honest reflection of " the kill " when carcass weights are taken into account .

The lower carcasses weight is a plus on number killed however is it equivalent to 3-4k cattle killed. If anything it will make cattle scarser which is my point.. However we do not know oif the factories are diverting more cattle to the UK. Like I also said you have to factor possible extra cows and heifers and take out possible extra time do it squeezed bulls.

willfarmerman wrote: »

Ok I an bob. I have horns and I am the devil. But I believe the factories are back in the driving seat. They have 3.50 a kg in their cross hairs. Believe whatever you want yourselves people!

I agree with 350 on the cards for backend and on into April
Could their be a little bounce next month before it falls again

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

There will be no cattle finished next winter if the price is 3.5/kg. I think next bigtime winter finishers will not finish unless a contract price is in place at start of winter.

They will fill the sheds as usual. For a few reasons.

They have sfp to spend.

They will be worried about tax if they dont.

The neighbours will think there broke if they dont.

They need them to eat the silage.

If cattle are dear next spring they would feel left out.




Larrys been riding them for years and they still finish them every year, why would this winter be any different?

Meal will be cheap (er) next winter.

They will fill the sheds again and there won't be any contracts , same as 5 or 6 years ago .

willfarmerman wrote: »

Silage is in the pit money is in the bank. There will be no contracts and there will be no empty sheds.

cristeoir wrote: »

They will fill the sheds again and there won't be any contracts , same as 5 or 6 years ago .

Last years was the first time in a good few years that large finishers had no contracts in place. Cannot see it happening this year. Silage only make up a small percentage of the finishing diet. You could increase that percentage and cut way back on finishing levels. Cereals, byproducts and home grown crops make up the bulk of the finishing diet. Those that use home grown crops are committed but are the rest of us.

There are a few other issue, 5-6 years stock and feedstuff was 60% of present price. To finish 100 cattle requires 110-140K for some lads you can multiply that by 3 or 4. That require bank borrowing's will the bank lend the money especially if money is still owed from last winter. Some finishers has large stocks of feed in hand after Christmass and had to fill sheds at a loss to turn that into cash.

Some farmers like myself that only winter finished 20ish catttle will exit the game will exit the game. For me the main reason is factory's no longer are willing to take bulls at 24 months of age. This take feed efficency out of the game and I cannot see money elsewhere in it. You have to remember that the average finisher finishes 25 cattle/year.

willfarmerman wrote: »

I live in north wexford. Winter finishers here finish on average 60 +. Silage is in pits. One enterprise whom I have regular dealings with finishes 1200 cattle per year. At least half of them in the winter. They have never had a contract. And they are fully stocked.

Same here , one lad beside me finishes 120 heifers and another 250 mixture of bulls heifers and cows and neither has or ever had a contract.
The lad with the heifers was using alot of silage in his finishing diet and was told by the factory he supplies that he had to use more meal cos the fat on his animals was not white enough!!!

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

To finish 100 cattle requires 110-140K for some lads you can multiply that by 3 or 4. That require bank borrowing's will the bank lend the money especially if money is still owed from last winter. Some finishers has large stocks of feed in hand after Christmass and had to fill sheds at a loss to turn that into cash.

Doesn't it just really sum up the extent of the madness, and lets be frank, it is utter madness...

'Will the banks lend...?!!' Would you want them to lend??!!

Take on a loan, the size of a good mortgage, having no idea or guarantee in the wide earthly world what price you will achieve for your finished cattle?!

I'm having heart palpitations just thinking about it!!!! :eek:

Cattle back again this week in da factories. Hard to know where this will end. Not looking good

TUBBY wrote: »

imo not looking good was a month ago. This is woeful. Look at traditional prices. This is our peak time.
have it from reliable source that factories are pushing for 3.60 before long.

Heard the very same thing Tubby

He's not worth his salt. Letting the factories have free rein and even helping with the factory monopolization and market manipulation by giving the green light to the ludicrous Bord Bia 'Quality Assurance Scheme.'

Do they thing we're right thicks that we can't see why it was set up? It most certainly hasn't been of any great benefit to the consumer or the primary producer. What it has been is an extra shackle around the ankles of beef farmers.

The qualifiying criteria for this extra 'bonus' make no sense to me.

• Number of animal movements.... what difference does it make?
  
• 70 days in the last owners herd..... again what difference does this make? All it serves to do is limit the farmers right to free trade for his finished stock by taking away his right to sell on the open market, ie the mart.
  
• under 30mths..... what is the difference between the meat from a 30 and 32 mth animal??

The 'bonus' in reality is a sanction and a control measure. 'Conform to what we the factory want or we'll hit you where it hurts.'

And worse of all, we lie down and take it.

It is my honest belief that we (the farmers) would be much better off if the Bord Bia QAS scheme didn't exist!!

If something isn't done while we are being subsidised with our SFP, what hope have we after it is done away with?

Lambs to the slaughter.