Speaking at an event organised by the All Ireland Guild of Agricultural Journalists on Thursday, McDonnell said that while farmers are moving in line with weight specs, the processor is facing pressure from legislators and retailers to keep carcase weight below 400kg.

“We are seeing a problem coming down the road in 2020 from a Brussels-based fine on the carbon footprint (of the beef sector). That’s a serious problem,” he said.

McDonnell also said that it is difficult to keep an animal to 36 months or 34 months and turn it into 450kg (carcase weight).

"What you see in England and other countries across Europe, if you have the right genetics in the herd, with the right food conversion... we can finish that animal at 400kg at 24 months or 26 months and we sort out the problem with the carbon footprint... everyone’s a winner,” McDonnell said.

He added that the majority of ABP’s retail customer base demand animals under 30 months, as there is a belief among many consumers that cattle under 30 months are safer from an animal health perspective.

IFA puts cost of weight limits at €10.6m per year

In March 2016, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) published an analysis of slaughter data in 2015 and estimated that penalties for carcases over 420kg amount to an average of €79 per head, with suckler farmers most affected. According to the IFA, carcase weight and age were the major factors in specification bonuses being withheld from farmers under the Quality Payment System (QPS) last year.

Former IFA livestock committee chair Henry Burns said that in addition to the cuts of 10c/kg observed for carcases over 420kg and 20c/kg over 440kg, “some plants are attempting to apply cuts over 400kg on heifers”.

“If these carcase weight cuts were applied across the board for a full year, it would impact on over 133,000 cattle and cost Irish farmers €10.6m, or an average of €79 per head,” Burns added.

IFA analysis shows that 89% of the cattle hit by the weight cuts come from the suckler herd.

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