Award-winning farmer says beef farming 'makes no sense'

Co Cork beef farmers will gather at a Cork Beef Plan information meeting in the Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway, next Thursday, November 21, to discuss the future for beef farming.

Ger Dineen of Cork Beef Plan said all are welcome to attend the meetings for discussions on the autumn factory protest, the taskforce talks and the subsequent Beef Sector Agreement of September 15, and the two Producer Organisations which have been set up.

Mr Dineen said that where all farmers who join sell their animals through these Producer Organisations, “they will hopefully get a better price”.

The award-winning beef farmer revealed that he has changed his system of farming due to the slump in beef farming.

“Beef farming at the moment makes no sense, for the first time I do not know what to do with my weanling bulls and heifers this winter.

“Normally, I would finish all my weanling bulls for bull beef, but this year, I will not be finishing any of my animals, as it makes no sense to do this.

“I will lose approximately €400 on each animal if I finish them.

“This is based on getting €3.50 a kg for a 400 kg carcass. It would cost €4.60 a kg to break even, leaving no profit for me.

“You would want to be crazy to be thinking of finishing animals this winter.

“So, at the moment, I will keep my animals until the spring and see what the price is like then."

The Kilnamartrya, Co Cork, suckler and beef farmer was the 2017 Beef Enterprise winner in the Grassland Farmer of the Year competition.