This week, Phelim O’Neill rates Irish beef processors on the prices they paid for various classes of stock over the course of 2017. The reason we publish these league tables is to give farmers a detailed breakdown of which factories are most active in the market for the type of animals they have to sell. In the case of the prime steer and heifer market, there can be up to a €50/head differential in the range factories are paying for animals of the same conformation and fat score. In the case of cows, the differential can be as high as €100/head.

While there will be weekly variations, the trend towards factories adopting more specialised procurement policies continues – a trend that has been evident in the market since the fallout of the horsemeat scandal in 2013.

Competition

Meanwhile, it is interesting to see how in recent years factories in the south of the country have become more prevalent at the top of the league tables – reflecting increased competition in these areas due to the expansion of dairy and drop-off in beef production.