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Farmer concerns have continued to be raised over the issue of carcase weights penalities being imposed by processors. In excess of 400 attended the meeting.
Penalties of up to 20c/kg for carcases over 420kg are back in place in many beef factories since January.
The year-long factory commitment to accommodate heavy cattle secured through the Beef Forum’s initial agreement has now lapsed.
The suckler and weanling farmer has the potential to be hit hardest by these cuts. It rested with Co Roscommon suckler and beef farmer Joe Gilfillan to spell out the concerns of suckler farmers who run mainly continental cattle.
“Do the powers that be only want black and white cattle?” Gilfillan asked, referring to Angus and Hereford cattle being able to be finished earlier with a lighter carcase weight.
Gilfillan added that “top-class suckler farmers are from the west of Ireland” and these farmers are the “backbone of the beef industry”.
Gilfillan said if carcase weight limits are being imposed strictly then suckler and weanling farmers will be the worst affected and will have to accept lower prices for weanlings.
“Imagine having to accept €200 less (per head) for your weanlings next autumn,” Gilfillan said.
He added that if carcase weight are imposed then in the “west of Ireland, instead of the best of suckler farmers, these farmers will be replaced with trees” referencing the move by certain quarters to look for increased forestation west of the Shannon.
Other speakers included Justin McCarthy and Darren Carty from the Irish Farmers Journal as well as Jonathan Forbes from Kepak and IFA livestock chair Henry Burns. Bernard Donohue from Roscommon IFA chaired the meeting. As well as Henry Burns, the other IFA presidential candidates, Joe Healy and Flor McCarthy, were at the meeting.
Forbes, who is head of procurement with Kepak, a processor that buys 1,000 bulls per year off farm for its own feedlot, said he has no problem with buying Charolais cattle for the feedlot or for processing.
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