Factory prices

dryan

Just an idea but would it be possible to get some sort of a thread going on the factory prices that farmers out there are getting quoted/paid for their stock.

The only place i can get info is on the Journal and thats only updated once a week.
It would be good to see something on a daily basis and also see what factory is paying against the other.

I got a few cattle killed in Moyvalley this morning (and not very happy with the price).
Rs - 3.13/kg
Us - 3.19/kg

Thats down 2p/lb since Monday....

Bitten & Hisses

I haven't sent cattle to the factory at all this year, but one thing I have noticed about the Journal is that they quote prices which are at the very upper end of what's achievable. I was sending cattle into Slaney last year and despite bargaining hard, I never got beyond what the Journal were giving as the quoted price. If you took the article at face value, I should have been beating the quote, plus getting transport paid for, but this never happened. Either Justin McCarthy is rabble-rousing, or my negotiation skills are a lot worse than I think.

pakalasa

Yeah, I always got the impression that Justin McCarthy was taking the hard sell and talking things up from the farmers side. That's his job I guess.
"...we are now seeing signs that finished cattle are getting scarce and agents willing to pay that bit more...", etc

viztopia

does anyone not agree the price they are getting based on grades with the factory before they send their cattle to the factory? I know my father does. its a little late arguing over the price per kilo/lb when the animal is slaughtered!!

Also i think the teletext/Aertel has a page which is updated daily on prices.

dryan

viztopia wrote: »

does anyone not agree the price they are getting based on grades with the factory before they send their cattle to the factory? I know my father does. its a little late arguing over the price per kilo/lb when the animal is slaughtered!!

Also i think the teletext/Aertel has a page which is updated daily on prices.

Yeah, i do the same. I go through an agent and i know what im getting before they leave the yard.
There is never any room for bargaining though.

Also, these agents are getting their cut out of it too.

How do other farmers out there go about selling to factories?
If i was to bypass the agent, could i get a bit more by contacting someone in the factories?

Bitten & Hisses

dryan wrote: »

Yeah, i do the same. I go through an agent and i know what im getting before they leave the yard.
There is never any room for bargaining though.

I also go through an agent and find trying to bargain like getting blood out of the proverbial turnip. But yes, I know what the price per Kg for the grade is before he comes near the yard and to be fair, the guy is a straight shooter. From seeing my father's dealings with other factories back when I was younger, at least there is little in the line of dirty tricks from this crowd.

viztopia

would anyone consider getting someone to look at their cattle before they sell them to the factory and make them an offer? e.g. if you think that your animal is worth €800 and you agree a price per pound with the factory but the animal weighs less than you thought then you will get less then you had thought the animal was originally worth. what if you got someone to look at the animal before you killed it and see what they would offer you? at least then if you were not happy with the price you could go elsewhere but if you kill in the factory you have no come back?!?

squarebale

For small numbers of cattle agents will generally give more to a farmer "in their area" than a factory buyer will. They will also sometimes buy at a straight fee. I've sold cows and bulls that way

wiggy123

just a point! from being at a Cattle sale on Saturday--the first i've been at in a while!

i wonder does the price put in papers,ie farmers jounral really reflect the sales ring!

as i seen good young Char Suckler cows,with calves at foot..making a top of €12001 while in the jounral last week--they wrote in mart section--tops of €1500 for cows+calves! i know depends maybe on quality+market! buyers...

also same in the bullock ring-gd store cattle making only €250-300 along with the kg..while papers suggest €300-400...
dry cow sthe same...
i gathered from the sale--that prices are back,in teh factory-thus marts follow suit..cattle could be back a €100-200 a head in general... tough times for beef farmers

dryan

My neighbour got quoted the following yesterday for bullocks (dont know what factory):

Rs - 3.02/kg
Us - 3.08/kg

Talking about a kick in the stones when things are bad!!

Anyone else out there with anything to add?