beef price tracker

primary 2

Bass Reeves wrote: »

3.85-3.90 Christmas week, 4.00-4.10 the end of January, 3.80 for March and April

why do you think they will be lower in march and april? more comming on stream? 3 80 wouldnt be great for march and april but if 4 00 or 4 10 was got the end of january it would not be too bad,do you reckon they will tighten in january?

Bass Reeves

primary 2 wrote: »

why do you think they will be lower in march and april? more comming on stream? 3 80 wouldnt be great for march and april but if 4 00 or 4 10 was got the end of january it would not be too bad,do you reckon they will tighten in january?

Cattle that are housed in November come on stream from late January on. Late housing this year. I am making a guess that few cattle were housed for finish during late September/October. I think that this might save those that have cattle finishing form Christmas to early February. I always taught that the worst time of the year to have cattle finished was March/April.

restive

Sterling has been strenghtening against the euro, if this continues it will help prices.

arctic8dave

Last time I'll finish bullocks waste of time. Sell as calves or at the very least weanlings. All AA & killed last Tuesday week.

blue5000

Hard to blame you Dave, the out of spec O minuses did nothing for you. Have an angus bull here the last 10 yrs and nothing gets castrated. Were they out of fresians?

arctic8dave

blue5000 wrote: »

Hard to blame you Dave, the out of spec O minuses did nothing for you. Have an angus bull here the last 10 yrs and nothing gets castrated. Were they out of fresians?

Mostly out of freisin & some red x which certainly doesn't help either!!!

CloughCasey1

Quoted 3.70 for heavy underage bullocks for next week. Will keep searching!

Robson99

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Quoted 3.70 for heavy underage bullocks for next week. Will keep searching!

Keepak?

charolais0153

Neenagh?

blue5000

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Quoted 3.70 for heavy underage bullocks for next week. Will keep searching!

Don't know of anything better TBH at present round here anyway.

CloughCasey1

charolais0153 wrote: »

Neenagh?

Correct. Waiting on another price Monday. Going next week either way.

blue5000

Has anybody weighed cattle since they housed them? There's a lot of sh1te barley around this year, I don't think cattle are performing on it. Protein in the barley is low too, under 10%.

Cavanjack

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Quoted 3.70 for heavy underage bullocks for next week. Will keep searching!

Getting €3.70 for over 30 month bullocks next week. Rang the country it's as good as can be got.

Robson99

blue5000 wrote: »

Has anybody weighed cattle since they housed them? There's a lot of sh1te barley around this year, I don't think cattle are performing on it. Protein in the barley is low too, under 10%.

Hope to weight tomorrow. Getting a mix of barley and finishing nut. Quality of barley does seem very variable alright

Mooooo

blue5000 wrote: »

Has anybody weighed cattle since they housed them? There's a lot of sh1te barley around this year, I don't think cattle are performing on it. Protein in the barley is low too, under 10%.

Have you ever tested feed/ ration you bought in?

Muckit

Cavanjack wrote: »

Rang the country it's as good as can be got.

For the sake of a few cent is there any point going outside factories in your area? Would any increase not be gone on haulage?

Muckit

Robson99 wrote: »

Hope to weight tomorrow. Getting a mix of barley and finishing nut. Quality of barley does seem very variable alright

Do you blow that into a bin? If so, does it segregate?

Cavanjack

Muckit wrote: »

For the sake of a few cent is there any point going outside factories in your area? Would any increase not be gone on haulage?

Well when I mean the country I mean all the factories within an hour from here which there are about 4 or 5. Sent to Donegal once but I'm sure 10 cent extra wouldn't cover the extra costs.

Robson99

Muckit wrote: »

Do you blow that into a bin? If so, does it segregate?

No mmuckit. Buy them separate in tonne bags and mix mesel

blue5000

Mooooo wrote: »

Have you ever tested feed/ ration you bought in?

Not yet, but I'm seriously thinking of bagging a kg or two from each batch then getting it analysed if problems show up. Margins are gone too tight in winter finishing to be paying big prices for crap soaked in molasses to make it palatable.

buffalobilly

where do u get it tested how much

rangler1

blue5000 wrote: »

Not yet, but I'm seriously thinking of bagging a kg or two from each batch then getting it analysed if problems show up. Margins are gone too tight in winter finishing to be paying big prices for crap soaked in molasses to make it palatable.

It's surprising that farmers aren't testing rations more regularily, rations can read the same with different ingredients,yet there can be a huge difference in performance.
I never tested rations here but the one I'm using is performing very well and sheep are a good barometer of quality...especially as they're only getting straw with it

Bass Reeves

blue5000 wrote: »

Has anybody weighed cattle since they housed them? There's a lot of sh1te barley around this year, I don't think cattle are performing on it. Protein in the barley is low too, under 10%.

Robson99 wrote: »

Hope to weight tomorrow. Getting a mix of barley and finishing nut. Quality of barley does seem very variable alright

Got barley and hulls in September barley was full of screedings and no flour in husks. At present feeding a nut that is 50% maize, 10% wheat ,16% hulls 17% rapeseed, 2% mins 3%molasses 2% lime. Cattle triving, it is about 14.%%P I am in a quandry as I want to drop P for lasy 6 week normally i just add barley from bags. Slow to add more Naize as it slows the rumen too much. Will buy a bag or two to see quality of barley.

rangler1 wrote: »

It's surprising that farmers aren't testing rations more regularily, rations can read the same with different ingredients,yet there can be a huge difference in performance.
I never tested rations here but the one I'm using is performing very well and sheep are a good barometer of quality...especially as they're only getting straw with it

Very hard to get a ration tested as it seperates however You should have an idea from amount of flour in barley and amount of different ingredients. A nut is easy enough to test and a good idea as you have no clue as to what they out in it.

Muckit wrote: »

For the sake of a few cent is there any point going outside factories in your area? Would any increase not be gone on haulage?

Nearest Factory to me is about 12 miles for me to travel to next nearest about 30 miles would cost me 2.5c/kg in transport alone. When you move beyond that to one;s 60+ miles and loading night before, between transport and weight loss it is 10c/kg alone to break even.

Mooooo

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Got barley and hulls in September barley was full of screedings and no flour in husks. At present feeding a nut that is 50% maize, 10% wheat ,16% hulls 17% rapeseed, 2% mins 3%molasses 2% lime. Cattle triving, it is about 14.%%P I am in a quandry as I want to drop P for lasy 6 week normally i just add barley from bags. Slow to add more Naize as it slows the rumen too much. Will buy a bag or two to see quality of barley.



Very hard to get a ration tested as it seperates however You should have an idea from amount of flour in barley and amount of different ingredients. A nut is easy enough to test and a good idea as you have no clue as to what they out in it.



Nearest Factory to me is about 12 miles for me to travel to next nearest about 30 miles would cost me 2.5c/kg in transport alone. When you move beyond that to one;s 60+ miles and loading night before, between transport and weight loss it is 10c/kg alone to break even.

Could you up the maize and wheat a bit and lower the rapeseed. Wheat should keep the rumen going for the maize?

Bass Reeves

Mooooo wrote: »

Could you up the maize and wheat a bit and lower the rapeseed. Wheat should keep the rumen going for the maize?

Not economical to buy Maize in bags and hard to get wheat either. Do not want to change the nut as I have other cattle not ready to move on to lower P finishing stage.

blue5000

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Not economical to buy Maize in bags and hard to get wheat either. Do not want to change the nut as I have other cattle not ready to move on to lower P finishing stage.

For finishing it might be though, what about a half ton bag just for the last 30 days?

jfh

Offered 3.70 for 21 months blues. That the general rate? Thanks

Bass Reeves

blue5000 wrote: »

For finishing it might be though, what about a half ton bag just for the last 30 days?

If I increase the maize intake too much it will reduce intake. Cattle with a full rumen will not keep feeding. I am thinking of buying some maize and barley and mixing it 60/40 to add another kg/head to intake. But it is a bit messy.

Robson99

Bass Reeves wrote: »

If I increase the maize intake too much it will reduce intake. Cattle with a full rumen will not keep feeding. I am thinking of buying some maize and barley and mixing it 60/40 to add another kg/head to intake. But it is a bit messy.

I would have thought the maize would have the opposite effect.

Heifers here are on 16 % finishing nut and barley, 50 -50. On 5kg per day and will be upped to 7.5 kg day. Ad lib silage with that

For the last 40 days the are then put onto 10 kg day makeup of 4kg barley 4 kg nut and 2 kg maize. They get an acid buff as well at this stage and ad lib hay and straw. Can still notice some particles of the maize in the dung

limo_100

lads I sold a bullock in may and he was killed in the middle of October just wondering if this man made any money he was 28 months 386 R+2= what was his KO% ??

Bass Reeves

limo_100 wrote: »

lads I sold a bullock in may and he was killed in the middle of October just wondering if this man made any money he was 28 months 386 R+2= what was his KO% ??

He did not grade but it was a good weight for 28 months. Killout would have been maybe 53% or a tad less because of FS of 2=. He would have been outside spec so no QA and would have been at least 6c less the base. I am trying to think but was the base at 3.6 by mid October so he might have only got 3.54/kg. At that he would have grossed 1366 euro.

He needed feeding at least 250kgs of ration for 9 weeks before slaughter to get him to FS3= it might have carried him to U- as well. At a guess he have killed 20+kg heavier at a price of 3.84/kg. That would have bought him to 1560 euro. Cost of ration 50-70 euro.

What did he make when you sold him.

Muckit

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Nearest Factory to me is about 12 miles for me to travel to next nearest about 30 miles would cost me 2.5c/kg in transport alone. When you move beyond that to ones 60+ miles and loading night before, between transport and weight loss it is 10c/kg alone to break even.

Interesting. A lad l know always keen to bring cattle in the morning they are killed. It wouldn't suit me, always bring down the night before. It's one of the few benefits of selling direct to factory - not having to take time off the day job. Would most of the weight difference not be gut fill? I wouldnt have thought it would have any affect on carcase weight.

limo_100

Bass Reeves wrote: »

He did not grade but it was a good weight for 28 months. Killout would have been maybe 53% or a tad less because of FS of 2=. He would have been outside spec so no QA and would have been at least 6c less the base. I am trying to think but was the base at 3.6 by mid October so he might have only got 3.54/kg. At that he would have grossed 1366 euro.

He needed feeding at least 250kgs of ration for 9 weeks before slaughter to get him to FS3= it might have carried him to U- as well. At a guess he have killed 20+kg heavier at a price of 3.84/kg. That would have bought him to 1560 euro. Cost of ration 50-70 euro.

What did he make when you sold him.

I surprised he wasn't at at least a U grade as I thought he was an R= at least when I sold him he was a red limousine bullock. When I sold him he was 570kg and I got €1390 I think I got the most profit buy its no good for anyone unless we all can make a profit

Also by the time icbf updated the profile he may well have being killed early October late sept

Muckit

limo_100 wrote: »

I surprised he wasn't at at least a U grade as I thought he was an R= at least when I sold him he was a red limousine bullock. When I sold him he was 570kg and I got €1390 I think I got the most profit buy its no good for anyone unless we all can make a profit

Also by the time icbf updated the profile he may well have being killed early October late sept

He must have been a lad summer grazing a few cattle with no housing. He didn't pamper that bullock with nuts anyhow. He paid over the odds for him the first day. Then he sent him off to factory unfinished when he was in no panic. He got creeled on the double but he'll be back at the ring again next spring!!

Bass Reeves

limo_100 wrote: »

I surprised he wasn't at at least a U grade as I thought he was an R= at least when I sold him he was a red limousine bullock. When I sold him he was 570kg and I got €1390 I think I got the most profit buy its no good for anyone unless we all can make a profit

Also by the time icbf updated the profile he may well have being killed early October late sept

If he was killed 2-3 weeks earlier at a higher base by 10c/kg it was worth the princly sum of 38.60. He would have been about 730kg's at slaughter. The ration at a conversion of 7-1 might have added 35kg to his LW but the K/O migh have increased to 56% in which case he would have killed 425kgs. It is amazing a bit of feeding can do.

limo_100

Bass Reeves wrote: »

If he was killed 2-3 weeks earlier at a higher base by 10c/kg it was worth the princly sum of 38.60. He would have been about 730kg's at slaughter. The ration at a conversion of 7-1 might have added 35kg to his LW but the K/O migh have increased to 56% in which case he would have killed 425kgs. It is amazing a bit of feeding can do.

Its a funny thing I initial reaction when I seen he dead weight, grade and fat score was that bullock had more potential than that when I sold him having said that with the way prices were he was never going to make that man up.

limo_100

Muckit wrote: »

He must have been a lad summer grazing a few cattle with no housing. He didn't pamper that bullock with nuts anyhow. He paid over the odds for him the first day. Then he sent him off to factory unfinished when he was in no panic. He got creeled on the double but he'll be back at the ring again next spring!!

To be honest at the time I sold him that price was about right I would have liked him to go over 1400 that day but he wasn't coming home at the kind of money either. The same lad bought a second one of me that day but the cow is gone so I cant find out. Tbh that man will probably be back out giving big prices again next year But i cant see bullocks making much more than €2-2.10/kg I think the beef is going to be alot worse in the next 12months than were seeing now.

Bass Reeves

Muckit wrote: »

Interesting. A lad l know always keen to bring cattle in the morning they are killed. It wouldn't suit me, always bring down the night before. It's one of the few benefits of selling direct to factory - not having to take time off the day job. Would most of the weight difference not be gut fill? I wouldnt have thought it would have any affect on carcase weight.

No dehydration would be most of the cause. Cattle will sweat a terror on a long journey. Most of this comes from the carcass. Also when cattle travel further they nearly always spend overnight in the factory lairage. However I thing it is the time in the truck that is the killer but saw an article in the FJ earlier this year. A feed lot owner in the UK if cattle are travelling a distance will not load cattle until the morning of the slaughter no matter how far they travel. Cattle that are killed fresh always kill better according to him.

Bass Reeves

Muckit wrote: »

He must have been a lad summer grazing a few cattle with no housing. He didn't pamper that bullock with nuts anyhow. He paid over the odds for him the first day. Then he sent him off to factory unfinished when he was in no panic. He got creeled on the double but he'll be back at the ring again next spring!!

Having said that if he was killed Mid October the lad had him about 150 days and he pit 160kgs on him. Real issue might have been quality of grass as he put on over a kg/day. If he killed 2= FS he must have been fairly bare on cover.

Sheep breeder

Bass Reeves wrote: »

No dehydration would be most of the cause. Cattle will sweat a terror on a long journey. Most of this comes from the carcass. Also when cattle travel further they nearly always spend overnight in the factory lairage. However I thing it is the time in the truck that is the killer but saw an article in the FJ earlier this year. A feed lot owner in the UK if cattle are travelling a distance will not load cattle until the morning of the slaughter no matter how far they travel. Cattle that are killed fresh always kill better according to him.

Agree fresh cattle kill better and set better in the chill, have seen some factories take in cattle for certain orders and kill shortly after arriving on site and in the chill as quick as possible.

limo_100

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Having said that if he was killed Mid October the lad had him about 150 days and he pit 160kgs on him. Real issue might have been quality of grass as he put on over a kg/day. If he killed 2= FS he must have been fairly bare on cover.

Would would you expect a finishing animal to put on over a 150 day grazing?

Bass Reeves

limo_100 wrote: »

Would would you expect a finishing animal to put on over a 150 day grazing?

He did nearly 1.1kgs/day now some is down to breeding of animal but in general from August and with heavy cattle gain from grass lessens. May and June are good months as you have good fresh grass ahead of cattle unless it gets too strong in late June which can carry into July and August. Has a few Herefords here that I bought in early February killed them in September/October.

They came in about 470kgs and they killed about 370kgs DW on average and at a guess were 710kgs LW. So they gained 250 kgs from early February to early October. They went to grass about 15th of March at a guess they gained 20kgs in the shed. So for a grazing season of about 200 days they gained about 220kgs LW. They got about 170kgs of ration on average. I taught they thrived well but they had good grass ahead of them all year.

I expect that a good LM or CH to better that but he need good quality grass. It would depend on his land. So 1.1kgs/day on what looks like grass alone was good going in one way

Danzy

Teagasc predicting 3.50 steer base next year.

Bass Reeves

Danzy wrote: »

Teagasc predicting 3.50 steer base next year.

I think it might be a bit on the optmistic side the way things are going

Danzy

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I think it might be a bit on the optmistic side the way things are going

I wouldn't be surprised, what is your gut thinking.

Bass Reeves

Danzy wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised, what is your gut thinking.

I was optmistic for Christmas and January but kill remaining very strong. Demand is strong but it is easy to sell cheap beef. Now not so sure taught we would be hitting 3.75/3.8 for steers now but a bit off it yet. Next year is going to be very very hard. Unless we hit over 4/kg for Christmas and hold near it for the winter( now unlikly) they will really drop prices from next August on. Hard to see it bottoming out at 3.5/kg next September/October we could be 20-30c/kg below that. But against that cheap beef is easy to sell.

orm0nd

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I was optmistic for Christmas and January but kill remaining very strong. Demand is strong but it is easy to sell cheap beef. Now not so sure taught we would be hitting 3.75/3.8 for steers now but a bit off it yet. Next year is going to be very very hard. Unless we hit over 4/kg for Christmas and hold near it for the winter( now unlikly) they will really drop prices from next August on. Hard to see it bottoming out at 3.5/kg next September/October we could be 20-30c/kg below that. But against that cheap beef is easy to sell.

think you're forgetting 1 very important point

cheap cattle does'nt always mean cheap beef . (same with sheep, grain etc.,)

Never wrestle with pigs

She'll be cow price If she looks like a cow heifer. Heifer price is more cow price is more like €3:30 at the moment.

Bass Reeves

orm0nd wrote: »

think you're forgetting 1 very important point

cheap cattle does'nt always mean cheap beef . (same with sheep, grain etc.,)

No but it cheap for the processors to sell to the supermarkets. They either then take a higher margin or have a sale

Shelleyb

Any update on steer prices this week lads? I have a few Hereford bullocks to kill!