Marts still ‘best option’ for most cattle, say IFA
UNLESS farmers are in a strong bargaining position with meat plants, it may be a better option to sell heavier cattle at the marts, Galway IFA Livestock representative, Micheál Haverty has advised.
He told the Farming Tribune that the element of competition for heavier cattle and cull cows at the marts had remained very strong, despite the restrictions brought about by the Covid situation.
“There are many farmers who are selling a certain amount of cattle to the factories but maybe not in sufficient numbers to put them in a good bargaining position.
“Finishing cattle for the meat plants can be a very specialised business and given the interest at the marts for heavier stock, this could be the best sales option for most farmers,” said Micheál Haverty.
He said that thankfully, the online bidding market for cattle at the marts had held up very strongly with a lot of changes using the marts to buy up cattle for the meat plants.
“Such agents who regularly supply large numbers of cattle to the factories are always in a very strong bargaining position to get the top prices whereas a smaller farmer, maybe selling 20 or 25 cattle every year to the meat plants, does not have that bargaining power,” said Micheál Haverty.
He said that while factory prices were holding up solidly enough, there was a strong feeling out there, that they should be paying a bit more given the strong consumer demand for beef and the indications that Irish cattle numbers were dropping.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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