The store lambs are now all killed and it’s a relief to have them moved on.

Prices have risen significantly over the past few weeks, which is very welcome and certainly takes some of the pressure off.

Attention has now firmly shifted to cattle and, more specifically, a group of heifers that have been testing my decision-making over the past couple of weeks.

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We held a Teagasc discussion group meeting here on the farm last week and I used the opportunity to get a few extra sets of eyes on them.

It’s often in those conversations that you get the clarity you’re struggling to find on your own. There were a number of strong continental-type heifers pushing up around the 700kg mark.

Lighter heifers

These are the kind of cattle that don’t give much away - still carrying plenty of shape, not overly fleshed and with the potential to add more weight if given time.

Alongside them were a few lighter heifers that, to my eye, had probably reached their peak in terms of finish.

With quotes slipping week on week, the question becomes far less clear-cut

In a steady or rising beef market, the decision would have been straightforward: keep feeding, add weight and maximise output. But that’s not the scenario we’re dealing with.

With quotes slipping week on week, the question becomes far less clear-cut. Do you chase extra kilos and risk a falling price or take what’s in front of you?

Opinions within the group were mixed, which in itself was telling. Like myself, most were leaning towards feeding on, tempted by the quality of the cattle and the potential upside.

But, in the end, the consensus was to hedge the bets, move a portion now and leave the rest to run. I followed that advice and drafted a few last Friday. In hindsight, it was the right call.

Weights

I was very pleased with how they performed. Carcase weights ranged from 370kg for a smaller black Limousin heifer grading U-4-, up to 414kg at U=4=.

The remainder were all over the 400kg mark and graded either U- or U=. It’s hard to argue with that kind of consistency.

Of course, now I’m thinking, should I have killed more? Especially when you see the price slip by 20c/kg compared with a batch moved just two weeks earlier.

On a 400kg carcase, that’s an €80 swing and it sharpens the mind fairly quickly. For now, the rest will stay on and we’ll see how things unfold.

Weather conditions haven’t been ideal, but grass is beginning to move, which brings a bit of optimism with it.

Spring feels like it’s trying to break through, but it could do with coming a little quicker.