Once again, there has been upward momentum in the cattle trade, with processors adding 4p to 6p/kg to base quotes for prime cattle.

Such is the demand for cattle, farmers have been reporting that factory agents are willing to negotiate on price, carcase weight limits and age of animal.

Deals are being made which include transport. There have also been several reports of farmers selling at a flat rate price on certain types and grade of cattle. Farmers are quite rightly bargaining hard when selling animals. Although prices have been rising, farmers should still be offloading cattle as they come fit for slaughter.

Base quotes for prime cattle now stand at 356p to 364p/kg for U-3 grade animals. As has been the case in recent weeks, farmers should be pushing for more.

Most indications are that factories are opening on a base of 362p to 365p/kg. They are securing cattle at this level, but mostly from farmers with limited numbers or for animals that are being sold through premium breed schemes.

Most farmers indicate that steers and heifers are moving from 365p to 370p/kg with relative ease, while more regular sellers have managed to secure 2p to 4p/kg beyond this.

Factory agents are heavily reliant on specialist beef finishers at present. Reports indicate that factory agents are being extremely pro-active in offering deals to these suppliers to ensure that they can secure cattle over the next month.

The average price for cattle last week was 354.73/kg, up 0.6p/kg. However, the average price paid for U3 steers rose by 5p/kg to 369.1p/kg. The average price for U3 heifers was 368.4p/kg.

Cows

Quotes for cows have jumped this week, with 280p/kg on offer for O+3 animals, while other plants hold at 268p/kg. Average prices paid last week for the same grade of animal was 280p/kg, with R3 cows on 298p/kg.

Lamb trade

After recent strong rises in lamb quotes, the market is at a peak for the time being, with 480p/kg on offer at plants. In the marts, there were more lambs on offer and while prices improved a little at the start of the week, by Wednesday in Rathfriland they were back by over 20p/kg.

At Kilrea, they sold 350 lambs from 470p to 491p, up by5p/kg on last week.

Massereene sold 782 lambs from 460p to 510p/kg, up by 10p/kg for lighter lambs.

Saintfield sold 473 lambs at 440p to 480p/kg, unchanged from last week.

In Rathfriland, a big show of 800 lambs made from 428p to 500p/kg and averaged 453p/kg, which was back by 24p/kg on last week. Lambs at 20kg made £86 and £88/head. Lambs at 21kg and 22kg made from £91 to £98/head. Heavy lambs at 25kg made £95.

The trade in fat ewes is strong and top prices were maintained, even though more stock were on offer. Fat ewes sold to a top of £103/head in Newtownstewart; to £99 in Omagh; to £90 in Swatragh; to £95 in Kilrea; and to £118 in Massereene. In Saintfield, 165 ewes sold to a top of £90. Rathfriland had a big show, with 196 ewes selling to a top of £89.