Prices hold firm for quality animals

Prices are holding firm for quality in the live trade for beef and stores in the marts, but producers are differentiating more widely on the basis of quality with prices for poorer graders slipping as the emphasis moves to quality in the post-premia era in 2005.

There is now a clear difference of €80-€150/head between the prices being paid for pre-June 1 born bull calves and those born after June 1 which have no premia entitlement, as the countdown to the changeover to the single payment on January 1 gets underway.

Farmers buying stores which will not finish until 2005 are beginning to show more consciousness of the increased emphasis which will be placed on quality for returns, rather than based on premia entitlements as heretofore.