Why is our beef industry so important?

THE chance to help make up the shortfall of trained workers for the meat processing industry is available through a new course developed by Fás and the National Butchery Academy.

Marts: The average price for beef has increased by 5-6c/kg (2p/lb) setting a new record as competition between the processors for stock delivers higher returns to producers on a total kill of 28,099 — incl bullocks at 9,949.

Marts: It has been a disappointing week for beef producers, during which the average price dropped 3 cent/kg (1p/lb), the largest decline in several weeks.

Marts: The upward trend in beef prices is continuing, adding a further 3c-4c/kg to the average being paid for stock by the factories.

Marts: Beef prices came under pressure at the factories yesterday — the first sign of attempts by the processors to stall the upward trend of the year to date — with producers resisting cuts.

Marts: Heifer prices increased by an average of 4c/kg (1.3p/lb) at the factories over the past week.

Marts: A majority of the beef factories paid more for beef — despite a strong increase in the supply — for last week’s kill, underpinning confidence in a stable trade.

Marts: Such has been the demand for cattle at the factories over the past week that an increase of over 4,000 in the supply of bullocks failed to deter the average price gaining a further 1 cent/kg — the third consecutive week of price gains.

Marts: The decline in average beef prices at the factories has almost bottomed out, as the intake of cattle shows the first signs of shrinking but the factories continued to pay a margin of up to 3c/kg (1p/lb) over the official quotes.

Marts: Although the factories continue to pay over the quoted prices for cattle, 6c/kg (2p/lb) has now been wiped off the average price in two weeks.

The intake of bullocks dropped by 2,500 head after factories reduced prices by up to 6c/kg (2p/lb) last week with the heaviest losses in prices for the poorer graders.

Almost half of the factories paid less for R4L bullocks for last week's kill after a surge in supply to the highest weekly intake of bullocks in 2007 and the highest for the corresponding week since 2003.

THREE-MONTH analysis of the prices paid to farmers for beef animals shows that the margin of difference between factories for R4L bullocks was less than half of that for R4L heifers around the country.

THE trade for beef remained very firm at the factories this week, retaining the recent recovery in prices, and adding a little more in some situations, as the supply of cattle slipped well behind this time last year.

Marts: Beef prices made further gains at the factories as the supply of cattle slaughtered reached the seasonal peak with a throughput in excess of 40,000 head.

LEADING food processors Kepak Group and Dunbia are to exchange factory premises to strengthen their respective operations in the competitive fresh meat marketplace.