There has been a definite easing within the cattle trade this week, closing the gap between factory quotes and price deals on offer.

Processors have moved to cut base quotes by another 2p/kg, putting the best quotes for U-3 grade cattle on 356p/kg.

Most farmers indicate they are selling cattle from 358p/kg to 360p/kg for all classes of stock. Deals above these prices appear much more difficult to secure this week, but there have been a few isolated reports of 364p/kg being paid on good-quality heifers.

Solid demand for manufacturing beef is helping to maintain demand for plainer cattle, with prices still ranging from 330p/kg to 350p/kg depending on carcase quality.

Cattle agents are finding it easier to source cattle and indicate they have animals already booked for next week.

However, some processors have moved to a four-day week which is softening their requirement for cattle and making it easier to control supply.

Grass cattle are coming on to the market, but some agents have stated the flow of cattle is not as strong as they would normally expect at this time of year. As such, processors are still heavily reliant on cattle from larger, specialist finishers.

The price paid for steers and heifers last week averaged 354.7p/kg, a drop of 7p/kg on the previous week.

Prices paid on U3 steers averaged 367p/kg, down by 1.8p/kg. Prices paid on U3 heifers averaged 365.7p/kg fell by 7p/kg.

Cows

The trade for cull cows have seen 5p/kg cut from base quotes, putting the O+3 grade cows on a base of 365p to 270p/kg.

Good-quality beef cows are still a solid trade, with a base price of 280p/kg on R grade animals.

Deals are being made on good-quality cows, with reports of 290p to 295p/kg widely available.

Lamb trade

At the plants, quotes for lambs are down to 400p/kg. In most of the marts, there were big shows and prices were, at best, steady, with others showing reductions.

In Kilrea, 650 lambs sold from 356p to 367p/kg down by 5p to 15p/kg on last week.

In Massereene, a big sale of 1,221 lambs sold from 355p to 384p/kg, no change on last week.

In Saintfield, 774 lambs sold from 335p to 370p/kg, down by 15p to 20p/kg. Lambs at 28.5kg made £88.20 for the local butchery trade. Lambs at 25kg to 26kg made £85 and £86 to a southern buyer. Good quality Texels and Suffolks at 24.6kg made £82. Texels at 22.6kg made £80.50. Blackface lambs at 23kg made £74 with £57.50 for 21.5kg.

Rathfriland sold 630 lambs from 330p to 380p/kg and averaged 357p/kg; down by only 2p/kg on last week.

Fat ewe prices are still holding up well. Ewes sold to a top price of £85/head in Newtownstewart and to £97.50 in Swatragh. Omagh sold to a top of £103. In Kilrea, the top price was £100.70 and in Massereene, it was £96. In Saintfield, ewes made £90; while in Rathfriland the top price was £84/head.

In Ballymena, Monday evening, the best store Texels and Suffolks made from £60 to £71 a head. Texel and Suffolk breeding hoggets made from £150 to £200; with ewe lambs making from £94 to £120 a head.