IFA analysis of 2015 slaughter data shows that carcase weight and age are the major specification factors impacting on price returns to farmers and knocking them out of receiving in-spec bonuses under the Quality Payment System (QPS).

IFA national livestock committee chair Henry Burns said the IFA has consistently identified the problems with the 30-month age limit and carcase weight cuts as the major specification issues at the Beef Forum and made them the priorities to be addressed by the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney at the Forum.

On carcase weight cuts, IFA analysis shows that the current penalty regime being imposed by the factories will cost Irish beef farmers €10.6m in a full year. Factories are imposing price penalties in general of 10c/kg over 420kg and 20c/kg over a 440kg carcase weight.

In addition, 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 affect over 133,000 cattle and cost Irish farmers €10.6m or an average of €79 per head.

The IFA has opposed the imposition of carcase weight cuts by the factories as they negatively target our best-performing quality cattle mainly from the suckler herd. IFA analysis shows that 89% of the cattle hit by weight cuts come from the suckler herd and the IFA continues to push for an increase in the 30-month age limit.

On the other in-spec criteria under the QPS, age and grade were the major factors in denying farmers the benefit of the 12c/kg in-spec bonus. An analysis of the 2015 slaughter data shows that 68% of steers were under 30 months of age and 82% of heifers, while only 24% of bulls were slaughtered under 16 months of age. Some 70% of steers, 76% of heifers and 73% of young bulls graded O= or better for conformation and a fat score of 2+ to 4=. When the various in-spec criteria are applied in a combined fashion as with the QPS, the number of animals receiving the in-spec 12c/kg bonus for steers is 44%, heifers 59% and for under-16-month young bulls 18%.