The UK’s beef supply chain is under threat by brutal, short-sighted supermarket discounts on mince, aimed at retaining customer loyalty by selling expensive red meat at a price competitive with broiler chicken. The value of finished prime cattle has plummeted by 12p per kg dead weight since the end of April and by 17p since Britain’s commercial R4L steers and heifers peaked at 290p in mid-January.
The National Beef Association (NBA) are calling for serious discussions between meat processors and cattle finishers before Video Image Analysis (VIA) machines are installed to automatically classify beef carcases in the UK.
Farmers keen to reap the benefits of a successful nutrient management plan are being urged to visit Beef Exposition at the Hexham Mart Centre on May 27. The T&T (Tried and Tested) team will be handing out free memory sticks full of advice about putting together a nutrient management plan at the event.
