Press Release - Quality of beef carcases continues to improve - but processor demands...........

Quality of beef carcases continues to improve – but processor demands on specification are still getting tighter.

Beef cattle feeders should be pleased that carcase classification surveys conducted over the past ten years show that the majority are managing their feeding systems so more carcases are hitting the increasingly difficult specification targets demanded by processors, says the National Beef Association.

Figures produced by AHDB show that over half the cattle coming forward hit the so-called “Golden Box” (EUR-234L) on the classification grid even though a higher proportion of cattle on offer are dairy bred – which includes O- and P conformation, Holstein bulls.

This is the result of a noticeable swing towards leanness which has seen much fewer carcases graded Fat Class 4H and a noticeable increase in Fat Class 3s which testifies to increased management and drawing skills.

And at the same time there has been an equally obvious move away from O+ conformation cattle and a surge in U- classifications instead.

“Ten years ago the former accounted for 32.3 per cent of cattle forward with only 9.9 per cent hitting U- but a drive to improve conformation means that just 26.6 per cent of conformation classifications showed 0- last year while 13 per cent hit U-,” said NBA director, Kim Haywood.

“This should encourage feeders in Northern Ireland who are still adjusting to the much tougher price grid installed by processors last autumn after alarm bells sounded over the increase in over finished, overweight and over age cattle coming forward.”

However the NBA is certain British processors will continue to tighten specification. This will result in an even wider price gap between cattle that conform in origin, age, weight and farm assurance requirements, as well as fat class and conformation specifications, and those that do not. 

“This can be seen in the recent, general, discount attack on bulls that are more than 16 months old and last month’s price campaign on Fat Class 4H and Fat Class 5 cattle in Scotland,” said Ms Haywood.

“Despite the noticeable improvement in leanness and conformation seen over the past decade British processors are making more specific demands which means there will be even more price encouragement to hit all specifications,  and bigger penalties for missing, over months and years to come.”

For more information contact:

Kim Haywood, NBA director.  Tel. 0131 336 1754/ 07967 698936