Regional price difference widens

Marts: It has been another week - the third in succession - of steady average prices for beef at the factories.

The margin of difference between individual factories in both ends of the country for R and O grade bullocks has widened to 5p/lb, a gain or loss of more than €50/head on similar weight animals after a slip of 1p/lb in the south.

The national average for R4L bullocks remained constant at 105p/lb with the average for R4L heifers a fraction of p/lb higher. Prices for O4L bullocks were 102p/lb, while the national average for similar grade heifers slipped under 102p/lb.