‘Fundamental review’ of Beef Grid is required
AS rumours continues to circulate in relation to proposed changes to the controversial Beef Price Grid on which all farmers sell into factories, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) which represents many Wicklow farmers, has far from dealing with the defects designed into the Grid, the rumoured changes would actually make the it even less fit-for-purpose than now.
‘ICMSA is watching carefully what look like other parties finally accepting what’s been obvious to us for years: the need for a fundamental review of the Beef Grid. This time we’ll be insisting that MII provide the market and scientific basis for any proposed changes. The reality is that the marketplace has changed substantially since the grid was introduced and the current EUROP grid is probably not reflective of market requirements today. The last grid was introduced effectively without notice or consultation with farmers, it was over-complex and designed to disadvantage farmers and this can’t happen again if it’s reviewed - as it needs to be,’ said ICMSA President Pat McCormack.
The ICMSA President also outlined that the meat plants appear to be focused only on increasing price differentials with the likely result that more animals will be penalised to give additional bonuses to a smaller number of animals.
‘ICMSA’s firm view is that any review of the beef grid must involve simplification, a reduction in the number of categories, the payment of the Quality Assured Bonus on all cattle coming from QA herds and a grid structure that reflects Irish beef production today and market requirements,’ he said.
‘Since its introduction the present grid has undermined farmer confidence in the beef sector and changes need to be made, but they need to be carefully considered and not tweaks that effectively compound already existing defects - like this idea that the differentials need to be widened which is exactly the opposite of what needs to be done,’ he added.
CATTLE SALE–NOVEMBER 14: A slightly improved for quality beef and store cattle on show this week. cows also met with a strong demand.
Sample prices – Bullocks: 445 kg €830 Limousin; 502kg, €900 MO; 450kg, €970 Charolais; 540kg, €1,145 Charolais; 655kg, €1,270 Limousin; 760 Kg €1,300 Limousin; 800kg, €1,545 BBX.
Heifers: 760 Kg €1,300 Limousin; 605kg, €1,145 Belgian Blue; 695kg €1,270 Belgian Blue; 590kg, 1090 AA.
Fresian Cow
€700- €1,255.
SHEEP SALE–NOVEMBER 18: A big sale of top quality Fat and store lambs, butchers lambs and lighter stores and cast ewes.
Prices up on last week by €2€4 per head. Cast ewes made from €58-€112.
Sample Prices – Lambs: 33 kg €65; 33 kg €74; 39kg, €87; 36kg, €80; 40kg, €89; 42kg, €92; 46kg €96; 47kg, €97; 52kg, €103. prices from
SHEEP SALES REPORT – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13: 2768 sheep on offer. Trade for fat lambs better by €1 to €2 per head on last week. A lot of customers to purchase store lambs making for a very lively trade.
Butcher lambs €104 to €112 or €54 to €67 over €/kg; Factory lambs €97 to €104 or €47 to €58 over €/kg; store lambs €64 to €94 or €38 to €52 over €/kg; Fat ewes €100 to €120 per head; Feeding ewes €57 to €97.
CATTLE SALES REPORT - THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15: 286 cattle and 80 calves on offer. Trade similar to last week for all types.
Beef and Forward store bullocks €520 to €880 over €/kg; store bullocks over 500kg, €500 to €740 over €/kg; store bullocks over 400kg, €370 to €625 over €/kg; store bullocks over 300kg, €300 to €515 over €/kg; store heifers over 400kg, €370 to €600 over €/kg; store heifers over 300kg, €300 to €480 over €/kg; Beef and butcher heifers €430 to €815 over €/kg; Beef cows €180 to €550 over €/kg.
Feeding cows €/kg to €180; calves: Friesian bulls €65 to €120 per head; HE/AA bulls €100 to €270 per head; HE/AA heifers €100 to €190 per head; Stronger Friesian bulls €120 to €220 per head.
WEANLING SALES REPORT – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16: 276 weanlings on offer. Good quality weanlings similar to last week but plainer types harder sold.
Weanling bulls over 400kg, €350 to €500 over €/kg; Weanling bulls over 300kg, €300 to €500 over €/kg; Weanling bulls over 200kg, €270 to €465 over €/ kg; Weanling heifers over 300kg, €270 to €440 over €/kg; Weanling heifers over 200kg, €200 to €400 over €/kg.
WEANLING SALE - WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14: Smaller sale 320 on offer, good trade for all classes particularly strong export demand for quality export BB up to €3.44 per kg.
Bulls over 450kg – 750 – 1280 over bulls under 450kg 550 – 1080 over; Hfrs over 450kg 730 – 1160 over; Hfrs under 450kg 480 – 910 over.
Prices - Bulls: 2 Belgian Blue 300kg at €1,060, 2 Limousin 318kg at €750, 1 PTX 276kg at €800, 1 Limousin 280kg at €800, 1 Limousin 480kg at €1,045, 4 Charolais 320kg at €800; Hfrs: 1 Limousin 330kg at €800, 1 Belgian Blue 2825kg at €860, 1 Belgian Blue 290kg at €840, 4 Charolais 298kg at €580, 1 Charolais 614kg at €1,160, 2 Charolais 330kg at €750, 2 Charolais 330kg at €790; .
SHEEP SALE - THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15: 2000 sheep on offer, very strong trade with butcher and factory lots up by €2/€3 per head, stores similar to last week.
Lambs over 50kg €106 to €112; 45-49kg €97 to €108; 4044kg €88 to €101; stores over 35kg €80 to €95; stores under 35kg €65 to €85; cull ewes €55 to €120.