Northern Ireland Sees Slaughtering Age Down
UK - Bonuses and penalties on the age of prime cattle at slaughter are placed on producers by major processors. The Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) for Northern Ireland has been looking into the implementation of these in the July to October period for 2012.
13 November 2012
3 minute read
According to an LMC bulletin, for the year to date steers have accounted for 51.5 per cent of the prime kill compared to 52.6 per cent during the same period in 2011. Meanwhile heifers have accounted for 31.3 per cent of the prime kill for the year to date, down from 32.5 per cent in the same period in 2011.
Slaughter Age
The average age of slaughter for steers and heifers in NI has been gradually declining over the last number of years. For the period July to October 2012 the average age of slaughter was 26.3 months compared to 26.4 months in the same period in 2011 as outlined in Table 1.
This decline in the average age
has meant steers and heifers were
slaughtered on average four days
sooner in July-Oct 2012 when
compared to the same period in 2011
and 25 days sooner than the same
period in 2010. The further reduction
in the age at slaughter during JulyOctober 2012 compared to the same
period in previous years has come
about despite NI beef producers having
to contend with one of the most
difficult summers for grassland
management on record.
As a result
many producers have had to use higher
levels of concentrates to maintain
animal performance this summer.
Despite the average age at slaughter
for price reported steers and heifers
during July-October 2012 showing a
decline on previous years the
proportion slaughtered under 30
months of age has increased slightly
year on year as outlined in Figure 1.
In
July-October 2009 85.9 per cent of
steers and heifers were under 30
months and this increased to 89.4 per
cent during the same period in 2011
before showing a decline to 88.2 per
cent in 2012. In July-October 2012
11.8 per cent of price reported steers
and heifers were over 30 months
compared to 10.6 per cent during the
same period in 2011.
The upper age limit of slaughter for
steers and heifers to avoid any penalty
for the age of the animal is 30 months
and after this penalties for overage are
applied. At present the plants are
quoting a penalty of 10p/kg for
overage steers and heifers but these
animals also fall outside the
specification for the 8p/kg bonus
which is currently available. This
increases the potential differential to
18p/kg for animals under and over 30
months of age.
EU Price Check
With an equivalent average
price of 433.7c/kg for the
month ending the 28 October
2012 GB has retained top spot in the
latest EU R3 heifer prices league table.
This is despite a 5.8c/kg reduction on
the previous month.
Meanwhile NI has
moved down one place to sixth
position on the table with an average
R3 heifer price of 393.9c/kg. This is a
reduction of 8.5c/kg on the previous
month and puts NI prices 3.5c/kg
below the EU average. This was the
biggest reduction in the R3 heifer price across teh EU last month.
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