Teagasc beef budgets published at the National Ploughing Championships this week highlight the huge risk now involved in winter finishing.

A 100-head cattle enterprise now requires an investment of €220,000 when cattle purchase and feed is included in 2024.

This investment is on the back of no guarantee on beef prices from factories and 100% of the risk being left with the finisher. This has meant a huge number of smaller finishers have exited the business in recent years, with feedlots and factory agents now the main players in purchasing animals for winter finishing.