Margins of up to 18p/lb between factories
On the typical carcass the difference amounts to as much as 180/head and is probably being accounted for to a great extent by the widening margin between the prices being paid for quality young cattle and animals over 30 months which are now being heavily downgraded on price at factories.
While prices held up well for the quality cattle at the best paying factories last week, factory averages of less than 74p/lb were recorded for O grade bullocks and one factory purchased their requirements of O grade heifers for an average of less than 64p/lb as supplies of over age cattle increase on a weak market.
