Major groups push prices down

Downward pressure on beef prices is being led by the country’s largest beef processing groups, according to the officially compiled returns from the factories. Average prices have slipped by 1c/kg for R4L bullocks.

Farmer paysheet returns for last week’s kill, which were compiled by the Department of Agriculture, show that 11 of the 13 factories operated by Dawn and AIBP Groups paid less than the national average for R4L bullocks, resulting in the national average of just over 285c/kg being sustained by the smaller processors.

Dawn Group paid an average of 282c/kg (100.7p/lb) and AIBP paid a group average of 284c/kg (101.4p/lb). The remaining 14 factories paid a mean of 287.5c/kg (102.7p/lb)

Jennings (Ballinrobe) paid 296c/kg (105.6p/lb); Donegal Meats 291c/kg (103.8p/lb), and Dunbia Newgrange (Navan) 288c/kg (103p/lb). Then came Euro Foods (Duleek); Kepak (Kilbeggan); Liffeys (Ballyjamesduff) each paying 286c/kg (102p/lb), and AIBP (Clones) at 285c/kg. There was no change in the average paid for O4L bullocks at 273c/kg (97.5p/lb)

The national average for R4L heifers was unchanged at 290c/kg (103.8p/lb). The highest price was paid by Kepak (Clonee) at 305c/kg (109p/lb) — allow for bonus payments for contract-produced stock — followed by Jennings at 298c/kg (106.6p/lb); Slaney (Bunclody), and Dawn (Waterford) at 296c/kg, just ahead of Euro Foods, AIBP (Clones), and Donegal Meats each paying an average of 294c/kg (104.9p/lb). An average of 274c/kg (97.8p/lb) was paid for O3 heifers.

Cow prices are showing wide variations between factories for similar grade stock. Ashbourne Meats (Roscrea) paid an average of 263c/kg for R4H cows which was 40c/kg (14p/lb) higher than the lowest in the same category. Dunbia (Navan) paid 247c/kg (88.1p/lb) for O5 — the lowest factory average was 211c/kg (75.5p/lb) and the same processor paid 242c/kg (86.6p/lb) for P+4 grade or 47c/kg above the lowest price for the grade.