THERE was a steady tone to the prices paid by factories for beef last week — the third consecutive week during which more than the quoted prices were paid for cattle.

The Goodman-controlled AIBP Group is to maintain a price of 85p/lb for good quality R grade cattle under 30 months for next week.

CATTLE farmers, led by IFA President John Dillon, mounted a protest against price cuts by the meat factories at the head offices of the country’s largest processor, the Allied Irish Beef Processors (AIBP) group of Goodman Plants, in Ardee, Co Louth yesterday.