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Cattle prices continue to edge upwards, with a growing number of farmers reporting deals being made above the 420p/kg barrier.
Factory quotes are also improving, with more plants working to a base of 410p/kg for U-3 grading animals.
Supplies of finished cattle are finely balanced and some factory agents state they are just about sourcing enough stock to meet throughput.
Farmers offloading steers report deals of 420p to 422p/kg for in-spec animals, with 416p to 418p/kg on offer for animals exceeding carcase weight limits.
Young bulls are an improving trade
Deals on transport are being made in lieu of higher prices, while flat-rate prices are also on offer at some plants.
Price reports on heifers are typically 422p to 424p/kg, with higher prices reserved for finishers that have bigger numbers to offload.
Young bulls are an improving trade, with deals of 410p to 416p/kg on offer for in-spec animals. Plainer cattle are also an easy sell, as demand for manufacturing beef soars.
Farmers indicate factory agents are in regular contact about cattle coming forward and happy to take extra numbers on short notice.
Last week, the average price paid across steers and heifers of all grades rose by 0.43p to 407.78p/kg.
Irish cattle imported for direct slaughter at local plants totalled 253 head
For U3 grading animals, steers increased by 1.1p to 420.3p/kg, while heifers rose by 1.9p/kg to average 422.4p/kg. Young bulls at the same grade jumped by 4.6p to 406.6p/kg.
Irish cattle imported for direct slaughter at local plants totalled 253 head, of which 185 were prime animals. Cattle moving in the opposite direction totalled 26 head.
For only the second week this year, NI cattle were shipped to abattoirs in Britain, with 34 animals exported.
Cows
The trade for cull cows is on fire, with base quotes rising 5p to 325p/kg for R3 grading animals. However, this falls well short of price deals on offer.
Farmers selling cows report deals of 340p to 360p/kg on offer for good-quality beef-bred animals.
NI sheep: hogget prices on the rise
The hogget trade continues to improve, with deals of 580p and 585p/kg paid for slaughter-fit animals.
Factory quotes are up 10p/kg, but lag well behind on 570p/kg, making a hogget worth £125.40 at the 22kg deadweight limit.
Kilrea sold 350 hoggets from 526p to 584p/kg, up 26p to 60p/kg on the week.
Massereene sold 346 hoggets in a firm trade from 500p to 557p/kg, up by 10p/kg for lighter lots. Top price per kilo of 557p/kg was paid for 21kg, while 21.5kg made £119 (553p) and 22.5kg made £123 (547p).
The top price per head was £130 for 30kg, with £128 paid for 27kg and a big run from £120 to £127 for 23kg to 25.5kg.
A strong trade in Saintfield saw hoggets selling from 508p to 557p/kg. The top price per head was £132 for 28kg, with a big run from £126 to £130 for 24kg to 28kg.
Hoggets at 20kg made £111, 21kg at £117 and 22kg selling to £122.50.
In Rathfriland, 280 hoggets average 536p/kg, up 10p/kg on last week.
Ewes
Fat ewes are a super trade. Kilrea sold ewes to £238. In Massereene, the top was £142 for Suffolks with Texels making to £140. Beltex and Blues made £130.
In Saintfield, ewes made £216, with a big run from £140 to £196. In Rathfriland, top price was £258.
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