Suckler beef conferences in Northern Ireland

Suckler cow producers are invited to attend one of two conferences taking place over the next fortnight related to the NI Suckler beef programme (NISBP).

The first event is on Tuesday 17 November at CAFRE Enniskillen, with a second conference taking place on Tuesday 24 November at CAFRE Greenmount. Both events start at 7.30pm.

The speakers include Justin McCarthy, editor and CEO of the Irish Farmers Journal, Ciaran Hamill from CAFRE, Arthur Callaghan from Blade Farming NI and NISBP coordinator Francis Breen. The meeting at Enniskillen will also hear about the farming enterprise of NISBP farmer John Milligan, while at Greenmount, NISBP farmer Stephen Maguire will outline his farming system. Both will discuss the main management issues that are driving margins on their farms.

The NISBP was started in 2011 and is a joint initiative between the Irish Farmers Journal, CAFRE and ABP Food Group. Everyone is welcome to attend.

According to sources in the beef trade, they are currently taking a significant price hit on out-of-spec hindquarters from heavy cattle over 400kg.

The issue is related to good demand for Australian forequarter beef sold into the US, which is currently commanding strong prices. It means that they are then able to compete aggressively on the English market with sirloins and other hindquarter cuts. “We are seeing our usual customers for sirloins opting to go with the Australian offer. They are taken from light cattle and are the perfect size for the foodservice market,” one meat plant representative said.

He said it was vital that NI gets access to the US for forequarter beef to obtain higher prices and to balance the poor prices for hindquarter cuts not destined for the British supermarket trade.