Outlook good for Beef Month

Robert Addison

With the export market re-opening fully from the beginning of the year and a renewed confidence in the beef industry cascading from enhanced prime cattle prices through to store and breeding cattle, prospects currently for Borderway’s beef month in May look good, writes auctioneer Robert Addison.

What is now a tradition, May provides a highlight in the Borderway calendar with shows and sales for all the major beef breeds now totalling 11 breeds and 14 sales to include Bazadaise for the first time.

This month has also produced centre records in the past which included at the May 2006 Limousin sale a world record price of 100,000gns for Haltcliffe Vermont and previous records have been set for British Blue and Aberdeen Angus bulls.

Trade during this month has reflected a shift in emphasis on calving to the spring and summer.

However, the industry is threatened with a dark cloud borne by a tiny midge – the disease Bluetongue which could disrupt marketing at an important time of year because of movement difficulties.

Due to reduced midge activity over the winter months, the UK’s ‘vector-free’ period which ended on March 15 brought renewed movement restrictions. The UK was the first country to order vaccine and 22.5 million doses are expected to be available in May from animal health company Intervet. Whether vaccination will be voluntary or compulsory has yet to be decided.

The EU permits vaccination in the protection zone currently in the south of England, but not in the surveillance zone which extends into the north west of England. This threat is against a background of the industry enjoying the best prices for 12 years and anticipation in all sectors from beef to sheep and dairying.

In recent weeks, prime cattle prices have improved by as much as £160 a head and this has been passed down to the store cattle trade which is up by £120 a head in what has been very much a home-driven market.

More buyers are also looking for quality beef breeding cattle and increasing the size of their herds. The May beef breeding sale at Borderway on May 23 is renowned for being the biggest in the country with top quality cattle for sale. Generally, because of poor returns, people have not had the confidence or the enthusiasm to re-invest until now.

For Borderway’s big month I’m quietly optimistic – the rest is in the lap of the gods!

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