Beef groups pay 1p/lb more
The three largest beef processing groups in the country, AIBP, Dawn Meats and Kepak increased prices for R4L bullocks by an average of 3 cent/kg (1p/lb) last week, the farmer pay-sheet returns have confirmed.
But with the exception of Kepak, the price increase was not sufficient to bring them into the listing of the highest paying factories as overall prices continued to move positively upwards and group average prices at both AIBP and Dawn remained slightly under the national average.
Nationally the average paid by the factories for R4L bullocks was just short of 105p/lb. The supply of bullocks increased further to 15,854 head, similar to the corresponding week last year. A top price of 107p/lb was paid at Donegal Meats. The other leaders among 12 factories paying averages over 105p/lb were Euro, Newgrange, Kepak (Athleague and Clonee) Kildare and Liffeys. The average for O4L bullocks was a shade over 102p/lb.
The heifer kill was a strong 9,805 head, 1,500 head higher than the same week last year, with an average of almost 105p/lb for R4L and O3 averaging under 102p/lb. Kepak (Clonee) paid the highest individual factory average at 106.3p/lb, just ahead of Slaney and AIBP (Nenagh) at 106p/lb. Liffeys, Newgrange and Euro were all on averages of 105.5p/lb.
AIBP (Clones) took over the leading position for cows paying an average of almost 95p/lb for R5 and 93p/lb for O4H with Newgrange the top for P grade paying an average of 91p/lb for P+4L. Also competing for cows on price were Kepak (Clonee), Exel and Moyvalley.
