Angry farmers are demanding action on beef prices and suckler support this week as the cattle backlog in factories begins to bite.

All farmers are being affected by the cattle oversupply. Feed costs are mounting and pressure on shed space is growing as the weather deteriorates. Irish Farmers Journal analysis shows 95,000 fewer cattle were processed during the protests and beef talks.

Any expectation that processors would try to make up lost ground with increased killing has not been met. In fact, the kill since hostilities ended is running slightly behind 2018, with re-staffing an issue in some meat plants.

Farmers with cattle over 30 months and bulls are worst hit as factories prioritise cattle they deem in-spec.

Current beef prices were to the fore at IFA presidential hustings this week, as prices remain stagnant at the €3.45/kg mark for the seventh week in a row here. Prices are rising in EU markets, with base R4L steer prices in Scotland up 10p/kg this week to the equivalent of €4.22/kg. Farmers this week questioned what the future holds for sucklers, citing dairy expansion and poor store cattle prices as key issues affecting the sector.