Over recent years, there has been something of a return to appreciating the merits of traditional breeds, with many factories actively looking for supplies of these.

Traditional breeds have always had a loyal following from quality butchers, looking in particular for heifers with a reasonable fat covering and marbling to enhance the beef-eating experience. However, it was the pursuit of this category by the big UK supermarkets that really drove demand over the past decade and indeed one major burger chain also carries a traditional breed range. There are other opportunities for a limited supply of cattle with particular features whether from organic production, fed a special diet, or particularly large or small.

What farmers need to do is identify an opportunity that appeals to the farming system that best suits them. If that is the ethos of organic production or a preference for a particular breed, the next step is to find a factory partner, see what they want and become part of a scheme if the terms are acceptable.

Extra payment

Niche markets and production systems usually attract an extra payment over and above the standard price available, the amount depending on how scarce the feature is and what additional costs are involved in the production.

Organic beef can attract a substantial extra payment to reflect a loss of production while payments for traditional breeds are designed to offset the expected reduction in slaughter weight and vary with the season, reflecting scarcity of supply.

The extra payment in the various niches has to be earned and there are usually strict terms and conditions that farmer suppliers have to meet to get the bonus. These typically include weight and age restriction, residency period, Quality Assurance and limited number of farm movements (usually four but can be less).

Cattle in speciality schemes usually have to be booked well in advance, so careful planning is required. In some cases the amount of bonus reflects the length of booking time, so discipline is needed to get the best bonus.

The accompanying table highlights some of the opportunities the Irish Farmers Journal has identified for Bord Bia-certified Quality Assurance members. It is a snapshot of some of the opportunities that are available and it is likely to change over time . There are also opportunities frequently available with independent butchers with local slaughtering arrangements that are worth checking out.