Investigation to examine cattle price differences

Independent investigation of the gap between average beef cattle prices in Ireland and the British mainland is on the way — but it will look only at Irish prices north of the border.

Before the end of the year, the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) in Northern Ireland intends to have answers to why R4L steers are worth 30p to 48p less (37c to 59c), or £108 to £172 per head less, in the North, compared to across the Irish Sea.

The findings will be of great interest to cattle farmers south of the border — even though there are key differences in the beef trades north and south, according to a Bord Bia spokesperson who said: “Market information from Northern Ireland is interesting and relevant, although not directly correlated to trade in the Republic of Ireland.