Analysis highlights price margin difference

THREE-MONTH analysis of the prices paid to farmers for beef animals shows that the margin of difference between factories for R4L bullocks was less than half of that for R4L heifers around the country.

R4L bullock prices varied by 5 cent/kg (less than 2p/lb) between the highest and lowest individual factory average pay-out to farmers, while there was a difference of 11c/kg (4p/lb) in prices paid for R4L heifers.

The factories paid an average of 298c/kg (106.6p/lb) for R4L bullocks between January and March.