FARM-ASSURED beef cattle returned an average 13p/kg more than non-assured stock at markets last year, according to Eblex.

Assured older steers performed best, averaging 18.55p/ kg more than their non-farm assured counterparts.

The Farm Assurance Price Analysis Update 2013 also found that farm-assured lambs made 6.5p/kg more than nonassured, while old season lambs averaged 10p/kg more.

Liz Ford, Eblex regional project manager, said: “Cattle prices have been declining but this demonstrates the benefits of farm assurance, irrespective of what the price might do.

“With the exception of cull cows, all cattle categories saw the largest price differences since we started analysing this data in 2005.”