Last updated 08:44, Friday, 02 May 2008

FINISHERS are being urged not to accept the first offer for their cattle but to ring a number of dealers to get the best price.

The National Beef Association says the current cross-UK average for R4L steers has already reached 260p deadweight.

While production costs have risen almost exactly in line with the cattle average over the last six months.

Kim Haywood, NBA director, said: “This is a bad news and good news situation but if finishers approach the market correctly, and avoid selling their cattle to the first buyer who offers what appears to be a reasonable price, they could still be better off than they were six months ago.

“The bad news is that since the end of October, cost inflation on the average beef farm has been in the region of 20 per cent while over the same six-month period, the market average for prime cattle has also risen by 20 per cent from 216p to 260p.”

The Association fears that some feeders may be so excited by the £145 lift in the market since the autumn that they are accepting 5p-6p a deadweight kilo lower than they could achieve.