Farmers are being reminded to ensure their cattle are adequately fleshed before booking them into the factory for slaughter.
The reminder follows a number of factory procurement staff noting a rise in the number of steers (bullocks) appearing at factory lairages that are grading an O- or below, and a rise also in the number of steers grading a 2= or below in flesh.
When drafting cattle for finishing, farmers should ensure that cattle have a fat score of a 2+ or above and below a 4+ in flesh to ensure they meet factory carcass specifications.
Where cattle are not going overfat, an few extra weeks of feeding at grass can help reduce the number of O- grades on a batch of O-grade cattle.
Cattle that grade an O- receive a 12c/kg in-spec bonus as opposed to the 20c/kg in-spec bonus that is available on cattle grading an O= or above.
Prime cattle that grade below a 2+ in flesh do not qualify for either a grid bonus or an in-spec bonus.
While climate and emission targets will require farmers to reduce the slaughter age of their cattle, farmers must also be conscious of producing a finished animal that will maximise their returns.
Farmers that are unsure if their livestock are fit should contact their factory agent to view the cattle in advance of sending them to the processor.
Underfit cattle
Looking at the official figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), for the week ending Sunday, July 2, there was a 5% increase in the number of steers grading an O- or below when compared to figures from five weeks ago.
Comparing the same two weeks, the number of underfit steers grading a 2= or below increased by 2.3% indicating that fat scores are a lesser issue than the carcass grades.
The recent moves by factories to reduce beef prices could be one reason for an increased number or these O- grade steers coming out as farmers are keen to sell stock before prices drop further.
The best advice is to sell beef animals as they come fit and not to send underfit stock to the factory as they will be penalised on price.