Latest bull price trends, market data, and a real look at the risk vs. reward for Irish beef farmers.
Market as of July: €5.30/kg.
Feed: €540/head, cost pressure remains.
Demand for stores holding up, but margins are tight.
Ration/meal price continues to squeeze net returns.
The bull’s pushing weight now. You’ve fed him since spring, watched him fill out slowly through summer, and now you’re hauling him through muck to keep him on clean straw every few days. He’s a tank, but that tank runs on meal, minerals, and muscle — your muscle.
You’ve tipped half your Single Farm Payment into feed. The ration bill alone could buy you a small car. You check the mart prices and see €5.30/kg and think maybe, finally — but by the time the haulier’s paid and the deduction slips in, it doesn’t feel like a win.
That gate he bent? €180 to replace. The heifer he jumped the wall to get at? Vet bill for a twisted womb. It adds up fast. And all the while, you’re gambling on a price that moves like the weather and a system that hasn’t favoured the small farmer in years.
Hemp. This crop won’t win a rosette. It won’t need dehorning. It won’t need insurance. You put it in the soil, water it, manage the weather, and in 3–4 months, you’ve got something valuable — and legal — ready for harvest. And there’s a buyer waiting for it.
At Munster Hemp, we’ve watched farmers take back control over their land, their time, and their future. This isn’t about quitting livestock. It’s about giving yourself a new path. One where you’re not betting everything on the bull ring.
