81p/lb for R grade in new price grid

BEEF prices slipped to their lowest level for the year this week, as supply remained very strong, and the new pricing format at the factories led to a lot of confusion among cattle farmers.

Prices for the poorer grading animals have been worst hit by the new price structure, falling 6 to 9 cents/kg (2p to 3p/lb).

The R4L grade has been set as the base for the new price system, with prices moving up or down on either side for both conformation and fat scores.