Beef & Sheep Update 14th August

€50m Beef Finishers Payment

• Payment to successful applicants are provisionally scheduled for November 2020.
• Online application opening date 19th August 2020. Closing date 9th September 2020.
• For assistance registering for www.agfood.ie as a first step in the online application, contact the AgFood Registration Helpdesk on 0761 064424.
• The AgFood Helpdesk will also assist farmers to register an agricultural consultant or Teagasc advisor to apply on your behalf.
• T&C’s available here.

Reminder of BEEP-S Requirements

For those involved in the BEEP-S, ensure you keep accurate records for all requirements for successful payment

• The eligible cow must be properly tagged, registered and recorded in accordance with AIM rules.
• Calf must be tagged and registered within 27 days of birth.
• Action 1 – Compulsory: Weigh both cow and calf separately and submit weights to ICBF within 7 days.
• Action 2 – Optional: A) Meal feeding for 4 weeks pre-weaning and 2 weeks post weaning. B) Implementing vaccination programme for respiratory diseases. (Choice between A and B)
• Action 3 – Optional: At least 10 fresh faecal samples must be submitted, in 10 separate containers, to an approved lab before November 1^st

Beef

• Prices: 13/08/2020. Steers €3.65/3.70. Heifers €3.70/3.75. Cows €3.00/3.50/kg.
• Supplies: 31,785 cattle slaughtered this week, of which steers were 14,941 (47%), heifers 8,742 (28%), young bulls 1,386 (4%) and cows 6,121 (19%). Total YTD slaughter is 1,051,831 compared to 1,074,769 in 2019, a 2.1% decrease.
• Official Prices: Irish R3 steer prices were €3.75/kg excluding VAT. Heifers R3 €3.78/kg. Y Bulls O/R/U €3.38/€3.56/€3.66/kg. Cows O/R €2.97/3.16/kg.
• UK Cattle Prices: AHBD report that UK cattle prices increased slightly last week. The average UK steer price for week ending August 8^th was at £3.69/kg, equivalent to €4.08/kg.
• Official Prices as Reported to the European Commission: 32 (03/08/2020 – 09/08/2020). R3 Young Bulls c/kg excl vat; EU Average €3.49/kg. Steer Prices; Ireland €3.75/kg, EU Average €3.76/kg. EU Average Cow price €2.79/kg. EU Average heifers €3.68/kg.
• Live Exports: 2,974 cattle were exported in the week ending 08/08/2020. 1918 to EU (Except NI). Live exports for 2020 amount to 202,820 compared to 238,294 in 2019. Total of 138,643 calves exported this year. Continued strong increase in live exports to Northern Ireland at 36,453 to date this year, compared to 20,210 in 2019.

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Sheep

• Lamb Prices: 13/08/2020. Factories paying €5.00/5.20 with bonuses incl. Top price for producer groups €5.20/5.30 incl bonuses. Ewes €2.60/2.80
• Supplies: Week ended August 8^th. A total of 44,232 sheep were processed in Irish export plants. Sheep slaughtering’s for 2020 are now at 1,705,470 head which is 7% up on 2019 figures.
• Select and Sell: As always, the advice is to move lambs as they become fit. Very good store lamb trade.
• UK Lamb Prices: Lamb price for last week was £4.65/kg, which equates to €5.16/kg.
• Imported Lambs: IFA actively pursuing the DAFM to publish statistics on lambs being imported into Ireland.

GLAS

• GLAS is set to finish up at the end of 2020, which will affect 36,000 farmers. The IFA are urging Minister Dara Calleary to commence the process of extending the scheme as Brexit has delayed new schemes being introduced under the new CAP.
• For farmers to continue receiving payments, the current Green Low-carbon Agri-environmental Scheme will need to be extended.
• The IFA have told the DAFM that farmers want GLAS to be extended and transposed using a simple system and that it is important for this process to begin now to avoid a rushed process later in the year.

Staying Safe in Marts

• The reopening of marts will positively effect the rural Irish economy and is incredibly important to the free trade of livestock. Having said that, it is important to do everything we can to minimise the spread of Covid-19.
• The IFA are encouraging farmers to follow all Government guidelines to stay safe while trading in the mart. This includes practicing physical distancing, hand hygiene and wearing a mask in marts across the country.
• Farmers in Laois, Kildare and Offaly must wear face masks in the mart since last weeks midlands restrictions were introduced.