Factories pay 3 cent less for beef

Marts: Factories paid up to 3 cent/kg (1p/lb) less for beef for last week’s kill as the margin over-quoted prices paid by the processors were tightened further.

The average for most categories of cattle dropped by 1-3 cent/kg and cull cow prices were back by up to 6 cent/kg (2p/lb) on the previous week, the latter in line with the lower quoted prices for the week.

The intake of bullocks at the factories was almost similar to the previous week at 20,532 head - 2,300 head less than the same week in 2004 - out of a total kill of 37,716 head, compared to 40,276 for the corresponding week last year. Total intake year to date remains 7% lower than 2004.