Beef price tracker 2

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806637#Comment_119806637

Will it. Last season's barley cost miller's 310+/ ton green off the combine this year admittedly it was dry,

Futures for grain for 2023 are running ahead of present prices all the time. Rations are looking like 400+/ ton for anything decent and that is if buying fairly decent loads

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806710#Comment_119806710

Very pricey. Beef prices looked good this year but 20 / 21 were better years when you factor in costs, thrive and no heat wave / drought

Anto_Meath

Cattle looked to made a good turn this year as they left a good gross return but the overhead this year were high with fert, meal & fuel costs.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806609#Comment_119806609

Was talking to our meal supplier recently and he quoted €340/ton bulk for rolled oats collected this season 😲

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806831#Comment_119806831

It’s €400/T in bags

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806729#Comment_119806729

Last year was a much better year than this year. Cattle killed 15-20 kgs heavier, ration was cheaper a d less was fed. Fertlizer was less than half the price and I bough early in the year. Add in contractor costs gone up 20-30% and this year was nowhere near as good.

At present cattle are 35-40c/kg ahead of last year or 115 on a 330 kg bullock. 100 of that is gone on the extra cost of fertlizer and feed before you add in any extra cost. Add in cattle killing lighter, grading poorer and extra contractor costs and you are looking at 250/ head worse than last year.

Sheep breeder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119806000#Comment_119806000

In the south east he asked, fat cattle have being a super trade in that mart with all the Leinster factories and Northern Ireland factories competitive each week, and serious prices for fat cattle. Some local finishers are selling in the mart. One local finisher reckoned that some wouldn’t kill the prices in the factory and he doesn’t take too many bites out of a stone wall.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119807257#Comment_119807257

Anybody finishing cattle needs to operate a low input / labour model.

In the good years you can invest in facilities. In the bad years you won’t be screwed.

I can’t see how anyone could make money finishing cattle if they aren’t aiming to get them away before the grass turns and with minimal meal say sub 250 kg

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119807257#Comment_119807257

You made a poor enough hand this year as it was a bumper year for anyone who had cattle moved by mid September .What changes will you make for next year ,I know you kept on to some cattle there a bit longer in the fall expecting a bounce in price for the world cup but prices only went south more .The sad reality is the price of fr. bullock on the grid is piss poor unless you get them all to grade o+ ,it is a questionable operation.The sunrise plant also outshone Larrys spot the last couple of months where ever Larry can pull cattle from and pay peanuts is beyond me

adriant900

I have some dairy empty cows to cull, currently milking, what I have done previously is dry and finish them over two months. I am wondering with the high cost of meal this year is there any margin for doing this?

I work out it will cost around €240 to feed them for this 60days and that is only the feed costs. I think they would on average then kill out at around 46% at 283kg, maybe grade P+ fat 3+, currently this is around 420cent/kg therefore €1,187.

If I culled them now, straight from the parlour to the factory, I know they would kill out poorly, would it be 40 to 42%? What do you think an average dairy cow would grade as without finishing? Would they be P=3- or is that overly optimistic? If they killed out at 220kg would I be penalised for a small carcass?

Another option is the mart. If I send them to the mart, can they be sent straight from the parlour or do they have to be dried and left for a couple of weeks to skeeze up? I know people to both options, are those that leave them dry up properly rewarded with prices in the mart?

Bleating Lamb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804660#Comment_119804660

Thanks for feedback,I have noticed a fresh thrive in them even in last fortnight,and that’s before getting nuts,It’s ‘old’ grass they are on which might be just as well as it’s not running through them,would generally always have them nearly sold on at this stage other years but am lighter stocked so have grass left for them.So would hope after some warming up with nuts over the next month they will make that bit more in December.

cute geoge

I have a shot of them myself ,just wondering if I milked them once a day and feed 4/5 kg of rolled barley/maize meal and average silage would they warm up by Feburary .I find it hard to believe a cull cow would grade p=3-this day of the year after milking all year .I sent a few off there a month ago .I was milking them once a day for 2 months and hard to get them fat score 3 otherwise .You will be cut 10 cent under 260 kg dead weight and back along another 10 c under 250kg etc so under 220 back probably cut 70 cent and you would still need them to grade 3 for fat .It is hard to see the vultures around the ring over paying as well probably make rhere weight +/-50 euro

adriant900

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119811844#Comment_119811844

Yes milking once a day and feeding well does work but it is only suitable for some cows, i.e. ones without cell count problems. One thing that I don't like with it is that some of them will leak milk on cubicles after going once a day.

Siamsa Sessions

Are most beef farmers in QA?

I’ve had a row with the factory over the heifers I sent in last week and it’s about QA.

Apparently the price is much less for non-QA cattle and they might not even take them at times.

Is that really the case?

hopeso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119819167#Comment_119819167

Yes, that's pretty much how it is.....

epfff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119819167#Comment_119819167

Yepdeal with 3 processors regular.

1 won't handle full stop

1 will but will complain and warn this is last time

1 doesn't want at all no market for them but we will take them any day 20c under base price.

Farmer Dan

While your farm may be Quality Assured, the ‘in-spec’ QPS payment is dependent on other factors, outside of Bord Bia’s control. Additional criteria to receive the bonus can include maximum and minimum weight; age (under 30-36 months); maximum four farm residencies; 60-day residency prior to slaughter; 70 days on a Quality Assured farm or farms; grades of O= or better, and between 2+ and 4= fat score.

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119819167#Comment_119819167

I taught they quoted you 4.65flat ,Is the problem that you are not bord bia qa approved ?

born bia qa aproved would be priority for most factories and cattle from non qa farm is really a great excuse for them to sauce you ,no comeback there

Siamsa Sessions

Thanks for the replies.

He said 4.65 and assumed I was in QA. I assumed QA would be on top of that, as it is with lambs.

With lambs, you agree a base price, no mention of QA. If you are in QA, then you get 10c on top of that. I assumed cattle were the same.

I had a decent row with him on the phone but I’ve no comeback really, and it’s another lesson learned. The f*cking hard way as usual. I’ll be an expert before I’m finished.

On a related matter, would an open tank or a lagoon be acceptable for a QA audit?

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820497#Comment_119820497

It was a rookie mistake by the agent at the outset not to have confirmed that you were quality assured.

But as a rule, a farmer has no business trying to deal with a beef factory if not Quality Assured.

The upside is it is not very onerous to become quality assured. I'd wager if you made the call in the morning you'd have your inspection by the end of the month.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820497#Comment_119820497

I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now but flat price and base price are two completely different things.

Base price is the price for and R-/R= animal with a whole “grid” of differing prices you could end up with, either up or down from the base price, depending on confirmation and fat score. And like you said about lambs QA is also on top of that along with breed bonus for certain breeds if you fulfil certain criteria.

Flat price is an entirely different thing. That’s when, usually a factory agent, will call to your yard, look at your stock and give you a flat “all in” price. When you kill then you will be paid this price per kg irrelevant of breed, grade, fat or any other factor. Basically all bonus’s etc are included in this price and the agent has taken the risk out of your hands as you know exactly how much per kg you will be getting and you don’t have to worry about meeting any other criteria like you would if quoted on the grid.

However a good agent will make sure the factory is the winner in them circumstances so it’s usually a bad idea to agree a flat price unless your eye is well trained to confirmation and fat scores so you know what you should be getting.

Siamsa Sessions

Thanks again for the insights and experiences shared. It’s why I like boards.ie so much - ye are all great to reply and no smart alecs. Or not too many anyway!

I’d be Ok-ish with the paper work for QA but it’s the slurry/dung storage for the store cattle at the old cubicles that I’d be afraid wouldn’t pass

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820961#Comment_119820961

Is the slurry pit water tight? If it is, there'd be no bother.

smallbeef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820961#Comment_119820961

Bird bia say nothing to me about an open slurry pit, didn't say anything about the holes in the walls so that dirty water can escape, just recommend putting a railing around it. All passed with them for the past 5 years no bother. Will be replacing that tank with a slatted tank next year hopefully (got approved for grant) but it's nothing to do with bord bia.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820961#Comment_119820961

All they are worried about is records for dosing and antibiotics and making sure that the medicine cabinet is locked. Bait points, meal storage and a sign on the gate are a few other important things.

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119811844#Comment_119811844

I'm not a proper finisher. I keep 5 or 6 not in calf every year. But I dry them off exactly like the rest, and I only feed silage till they are COMPLETELY dry. Then 2kg of nuts for a couple of months should have good cows by the 1st of April. I tried feeding ones that were just dry the first year and I ended up putting them back in to the parlor pulling out mastitis. But I'm happy with the system now, but I do have plenty of silage.

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820961#Comment_119820961

Qa is very easy got and maintained. I fill out the book as I buy the meals, meds and administer same. It saves a last minute job near the inspection.

It's a must for a beef finisher to be qa. I wouldn't fall out too much with your agent you need him on side going forward. They are a few good agents out there who know how to play the factories but some can play both sides. The good ones are invaluable.

Farmer Dan

Also Siamsa, the records you'd keep for the QA would form a good part of a cross compliance inspection etc.

It'd be no bother to you to get QA.

jfh

@Siamsa Sessions although expensive herdwatch is invaluable for bord bia audit, I find if I don't keep track of remedies, feed purchases, sprays at the time, its impossible to record it later with accuracy

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119822332#Comment_119822332

How much is herd watch