Irish Hereford Prime has announced an additional bonus for all Hereford beef cattle pre-booked this spring and into the early summer months.
A spring/summer 2022 off-season bonus of 20-25c/kg is now available to all members who pre-book their Hereford cattle with the producer group by Friday, February 18, 2022.
According to a statement from the group, the bonus is available on cattle processed from March 21, 2022 to May 20, 2022, at all ABP Group and Kepak Group sites throughout the country.
Qualifying steers and heifers will receive the 20-25c/kg breed bonus on top of the 12-20c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) payment.
The statement from the group explained that the reintroduction of an increased off-season bonus by the Hereford producer group for its members “is seen as a very positive signal”.
Continuing, it added: “Following a period of uncertainty at food service level due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the addition of this bonus shows that the demand is strong for Irish Hereford Prime beef from its customers both in Ireland and throughout Europe.”
Commenting on the move, Niall O’Mahony, chairperson of Irish Hereford Prime, said: “I am confident that this doubling in the bonus for the period until May 20, will help to offset higher finishing costs associated with current concentrate prices and the increased cost of replacing silage stocks due to higher fertiliser prices.
“Last year saw the highest ever number of Hereford cattle qualifying through the producer group, with over 75,000 cattle receiving a bonus payment for meeting the desired qualifying criteria.
“Irish Hereford Prime continues to go in the right direction and [is] starting 2022 on a very positive note.
“Demand for cattle is good, we are meeting sustainability targets at farm level with a younger cattle finishing age and the recent updates we made to our brand, which were so well received, all point to 2022 being a very strong year for us,” he concluded.