ICSA Beef chair Edmund Graham has urged farmers to shop around for prices this week as factories are actively looking for cattle, despite also attempting to pull prices. “Some factories are chancing quotes as low as €5.15/kg for steers and €5.20/kg for heifers, but they are getting rebuffed – and rightfully so. Factories must recognise that the costs associated with finishing cattle have gone through the roof and my advice to each and every farmer is to stick to their guns and fight for a decent price,” he said.

Mr Graham said farmers also need to examine their options as there continues to be big variations in price from factory to factory. “There is no better time to shop around than when the factories are anxious for cattle and that’s exactly what we are seeing at the minute. The mart trade tells us that factories can pay more so shop around and go with the best price you can get.”

ENDS