Beef price tracker 2

You need to have a better chat with your agent because I think he’s bulling you.

Flat rate deals are available for Angus and whiteheads in every factory around the midlands at present and that’s including Keepak and 2 different Liffey Meats plants.

I doubt it’s any different anywhere else in the country.

These cattle that went this morning would be O + or R - I would imagine. They are coming up on 30 months. On nuts and top class silage for around 10 weeks. Just weren't good enough in early October when last of the grass cattle went. He is gonna be a happy man when he gets his cheque.

Earlier on you said you send up to 50 cattle at a time. Nows it 80 a year. Which is it?

I don't think he is telling porkies. Why would he? I'm only saying what he told me. He is well in his 70s, and is a very shrewd man. Sells to different factories depending on what price he is getting and what type of cattle he is selling. These were all AAX, mainly 29 month old cattle. 5.40 flat for quality assured under 30 months. Any not under 30 months are not gonna get that price I'd imagine.

Now, ring around again in the morning is my advice.

no I said a local large scale finisher sends up to 50 at a time and they still have to grade.

9 cattle wouldn’t hardly get you a call back.

I think you’re acting like a child that isn’t getting their way now to be honest.

I was offered a flat price yesterday but decided I’d hold off until after Xmas as they’ll carry a bit more weight still. I’d nearly send on a load for the craic now just to show you the docket!

The majority of Angus and whitehead cattle killed in the last few weeks are being killed in a flat price. I have neighbours that done so and as I said the option is there for myself too but I’m waiting until the new year.

If you’re a soft seller you’ll be walked all over, as I said already talk to your agent in the morning because he’s definitely fobbing you off.

What part of the country are you in? Ring some of the midlands factories in the morning and see what you are offered.

Most flat prices for aa and whiteheads would be for above P grades. If you’ve only 1 P grade in a load they’d probably let it on at the flat price, if you’ve a lot of them then you will be cut. It’s rare though for Angus or whiteheads to grade P.

You must be fairly new to dealing with factories if all of this is news to you? Do you normally sell in the mart or what’s your usual system?

It does surprise me because you’ve an awful lot to learn yet.

You don’t have to demand a flat price, they’re ringing around offering it to get cattle in. For the first time in years they’re killing cattle between Christmas and new year because they need the numbers.

Don’t take my word for it, ring a few different factories you don’t normally deal with and ask what’s available, you’ve nothing to lose and it might just show you what you’ve been missing out on all along.

i think you have never sold to a factory in your life. The big 3 never buy flat rate. And the guys that ring around are the bullshit artists that will have you scratching your head afterwards looking at a a sheet of grades for Mongolian donkeys. Euro farm foods being the prime example if they manage to lure someone from afar.

Think what you like, it won’t affect me.

When you’re looking at your kill sheet at €4.90 at the weekend you can think about all the lads that are freely getting €5.30-€5.40 for O- grades and scratch your head and wonder why you’re being taken for a fool.

The big 3 are driving the flat prices at the minute, if you weren’t so stubborn you’d ask your agent but maybe you want to act like Santa Claus and give them cheap meat for Christmas.

I’ll get anything that’s going and will truthfully tell the same. All them lads proclaiming winning at the bookies never concerned me either.

At a very minimum at least learn how the grid works before accepting €5.22 for r grade Angus.

€5.22 for r grade Angus is a factory robbing you in todays market.

€5 base price plus €0.20 qa plus €0.20 aa bonus (which is the minimum you’ll get, 30cent is available in a lot of places) is minimum of €5.40 for r grades on the grid.

It’s lads like you accepting ridiculous prices that drag down the price for everyone else. Any agent offering you €5.22 for r grade Angus this week should be ran from your yard and told never to come back.

Don’t sell your cattle at them prices Jameson . If you’re going to take that give me a message private , and I’ll give you more to buy them off you liveweight

if your prepared to do do that you’d fill your boots at any mart big man!😂.

Sorry I'm late to the party....but Jjameson I dipped my toe in the black and white market in the last few years after finding the continental trade unviable (too expensive to buy in). I have sold Whiteheads and Angus in the last few weeks at a Flat rate. Its one of the reasons I went down this route. Most years around this period Flat Rates are easily achieved allowing you to batch a group regardless of Grade or Fat Score. Now if you had a few to grade which I did recently, well the grid is the place. I had a group of lovely whiteheads heifers grade R and with the 20 cent Board Bia and 20 cent Whitehead bonus they paid as well or better than Continentals, they definitely left more money.

So Jjameson I think you need to pull in your horns and listen to lads on here, I have learnt a lot from other peoples views. None of us are experts.