Effect of Weight on the Prices of British and Irish Fat Cattle

The price penalty against Irish cattle in Britain has long been a subject of debate. Data were collected on the weights and prices of Irish store bullocks fattened in Northumberland and the border counties and of home-bred cattle fattened in the same area. The sample included both live and deadweight sales. Irish cattle sold at 17s 6d per cwt less than their British counterparts on average. The principal reason for the lower price of Irish cattle was their greater weight. Irish cattle were 1.5 cwt heavier on average than home-breds. The high incidence of liver fluke and the time of marketing also influenced the price of Irish cattle. The implications of producing a younger, lighter animal are discussed and some reasons advanced for the slow change in the traditional pattern of Irish cattle production.