Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker

[tinsheet]

Sent some hoggs off Wednesday, shedders who had started shedding so didn't fancy putting through the live ring.
Hold my hands up.....they had been here a month too long- small number so job to get them on a load with others, then the snow.
So they were heavy and a *tad* fat
I'm going to get fair nailed on them.....


So put the rest who haven't started shedding through the ring yesterday, mainly because they were even bigger and fatter than the ones I sent DW...... 50kg (market weights)..... £112
Well chuffed

But the maddness is that the same buyer took both the DW & LW lambs..... DW will be well off spec &I'll be punished..... LW they paid right up for.....for even fatter lambs!!

Hell of a trade yesterday!

 

[exmoor dave]

Hell of a trade yesterday!

Was hell of a full market!
Stopped for lunch but couldn't stay much longer.

Culls made good money too!

 

[tinsheet]

Was hell of a full market!
Stopped for lunch but couldn't stay much longer.

Culls made good money too!

Finished selling at 6.45,.

 

[exmoor dave]

Finished selling at 6.45,.

Start on time at least?

 

[Sheep135]

Ive just had a cheque through the post from abp fr 2 angus steers i sent on wednesday. I was quoted 3.80 when i booked them in ive been paid 3.90 for them

I thought they quoted the Angus price based on an O+ but if your steers graded better then that would explain the better price.

 

[tinsheet]

Start on time at least?

3, had to wait for the South molton crew

 

[Woolless]

Sent some hoggs off Wednesday, shedders who had started shedding so didn't fancy putting through the live ring.
Hold my hands up.....they had been here a month too long- small number so job to get them on a load with others, then the snow.
So they were heavy and a *tad* fat
I'm going to get fair nailed on them.....


So put the rest who haven't started shedding through the ring yesterday, mainly because they were even bigger and fatter than the ones I sent DW...... 50kg (market weights)..... £112
Well chuffed

But the maddness is that the same buyer took both the DW & LW lambs..... DW will be well off spec &I'll be punished..... LW they paid right up for.....for even fatter lambs!!

It's nuts, isn't it? How about some clear market signals for once?

 

[exmoor dave]

It's nuts, isn't it? How about some clear market signals for once?

Should have put them all through the ring....... but the auction world (&assorted peers round the ring ) just aren't ready for half shedded sheep yet

 

[hendrebc]

I thought they quoted the Angus price based on an O+ but if your steers graded better then that would explain the better price.

Im not 100% sure but i dont think there is a bonus for better confirmation with the angus premium the price is the price for anything thats in spec and then its cut for anything that isnt. Or thats what i thought anyway i could be wrong. These 2 were R-4

 

[sheepwise]

Ive just had a cheque through the post from abp fr 2 angus steers i sent on wednesday. I was quoted 3.80 when i booked them in ive been paid 3.90 for them

Shower of b**stards that ABP not sticking to their quoted price!! @Northeastfarmer

 

[Sheep135]

Im not 100% sure but i dont think there is a bonus for better confirmation with the angus premium the price is the price for anything thats in spec and then its cut for anything that isnt. Or thats what i thought anyway i could be wrong. These 2 were R-4

We spoke to the local agent last week about booking some in and the impression he gave across is that the price we were quoted for next week was 3.85 for an O+ and anything better or worse would get deducted or extra premium. Which would explain why you got +10 for an R-.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It's nuts, isn't it? How about some clear market signals for once?

This is a clear market signal, because the Auction market does work and deadweight often does not.
In the last year, probably longer, sheep that are outside of the so called "spec" (especially heavies) have made for more alive.

 

[Woolless]

This is a clear market signal, because the Auction market does work and deadweight often does not.
In the last year, probably longer, sheep that are outside of the so called "spec" (especially heavies) have made for more alive.

So why not change the DW spec?

 

[goodevans]

This is a clear market signal, because the Auction market does work and deadweight often does not.
In the last year, probably longer, sheep that are outside of the so called "spec" (especially heavies) have made for more alive.

isnt that because most of the buyers of heavier lambs probably don't buy on a deadweight basis

 

[Aspiring Peasant]

Why would they want to change the dead weight spec when they can get extra kilos of meat without having to pay for it. Anybody who bases their business on selling dead weight does not understand how the system works. Big companies in any industry always want to control markets if they can that is why we have legislation to try and stop monopolies and anti competition activity. Uniquely in beef and sheep trading we have the best way of creating competition by forcing companies to bid against each other for what they want and farmers should support this. There is a role for dead weight selling in some circumstances but it should only be a small part of sales.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

So why not change the DW spec?

I don't think the supermarkets will want it changed. They will have to get new packaging and it will not work for their price points.

isnt that because most of the buyers of heavier lambs probably don't buy on a deadweight basis

I think you might be surprised about who buys what.
The big change I have seen is now that as an industry we are able to produce these heavy lambs without too much fat the catering industry likes these big legs and shoulders. They are much easier to bone out and to cut.

I have occasionally supplied a large catering butcher in London, but I usually struggle to get enough per kg from them because they compare with Smithfield prices where of course the abattoirs who are only supplying supermarkets have to end up "dumping" these out of spec lambs on the market. They will pay for every kilo though.

If we look at Australia which is now producing these massive lamb carcasses (and fat) to markets that seem happy to accept these, the USA is one.
The abattoir that Farmers Fresh have recently taken over in Wales used to specialise in very heavy lambs and hoggets so there are markets out there that will but all weights!
I also that we have all become a little more canny about not sending these heavy sheep deadweight and giving away all that good meat!!

 

[andybk]

I don't think the supermarkets will want it changed. They will have to get new packaging and it will not work for their price points.


I think you might be surprised about who buys what.
The big change I have seen is now that as an industry we are able to produce these heavy lambs without too much fat the catering industry likes these big legs and shoulders. They are much easier to bone out and to cut.

I have occasionally supplied a large catering butcher in London, but I usually struggle to get enough per kg from them because they compare with Smithfield prices where of course the abattoirs who are only supplying supermarkets have to end up "dumping" these out of spec lambs on the market. They will pay for every kilo though.

If we look at Australia which is now producing these massive lamb carcasses (and fat) to markets that seem happy to accept these, the USA is one.
The abattoir that Farmers Fresh have recently taken over in Wales used to specialise in very heavy lambs and hoggets so there are markets out there that will but all weights!
I also that we have all become a little more canny about not sending these heavy sheep deadweight and giving away all that good meat!!

time for yield payments then frank , supermarkets can then dip in and out , and producers wont get hammered on large carcases

 

[gone up the hill]

Sedge today : 17.3.18

Well in sub artic temps and with heavy snow falling that didn't stop every ringside being packed with buyers.

Store cattle : Over 900 strong stores entered sold to a slightly easier trade according to some buyers but what was clear was that trade for Fri steers was off the clock and as strong if not stronger than previous weeks and again £ per kilo were dearer than Cont x steers.

Stirks : Again a massive entry of some 500 head with some super runs of cattle topped out at £1100 head for a 10 month old single suckled steer, another price of note were some strong R grade 10 month old Char steers selling very well at around £1025 head, in the main thou trade for small stirks would be back £50 head on the last few weeks and stronger cattle would have been back between £70/ £100 head on the last few weeks.

Store lambs : another strong entry topping out at £130 head for some superb char x ram lambs, another price of note was the first entry of suck lambs for this season around the 15 kilo mark making a very credible £41.50 head.

No idea what trade was but a massive entry of cull ewes penned.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

time for yield payments then frank , supermarkets can then dip in and out , and producers wont get hammered on large carcases

Not sure that would solve the problem either although it would reduce the value of those Suffolks with huge bones and not much else!
Seriously though most retail outlets don't want to do too much cutting and they just want the cut of meat to fix in a black box with a cellophane wrapper and be priced at £4.99, or £5.99 etc.

Tonight I would like to thank all beef farmers who have sold cattle in the last month as my Butcher had Rib Eye steaks on special offer today for £5.00 a pound! He said there were loads of ribs of beef on Smithfield being knocked out at very low prices.
I was going to get a Takeaway tonight but it was a much better and cheaper meal with reduced price Veg from the Co-op and bartered potatoes. Did have to pay the right price for the wine though!

 

[fastfish]

Sedge today : 17.3.18

Well in sub artic temps and with heavy snow falling that didn't stop every ringside being packed with buyers.

Store cattle : Over 900 strong stores entered sold to a slightly easier trade according to some buyers but what was clear was that trade for Fri steers was off the clock and as strong if not stronger than previous weeks and again £ per kilo were dearer than Cont x steers.

Stirks : Again a massive entry of some 500 head with some super runs of cattle topped out at £1100 head for a 10 month old single suckled steer, another price of note were some strong R grade 10 month old Char steers selling very well at around £1025 head, in the main thou trade for small stirks would be back £50 head on the last few weeks and stronger cattle would have been back between £70/ £100 head on the last few weeks.

Store lambs : another strong entry topping out at £130 head for some superb char x ram lambs, another price of note was the first entry of suck lambs for this season around the 15 kilo mark making a very credible £41.50 head.

No idea what trade was but a massive entry of cull ewes penned.

I was going to comment nearer the grass !!!!! But I’m not sure any more