There is no change to cattle prices this week, with base quotes starting on 360p/kg for U3 grade animals. The best official quote on steers is 362p/kg with heifers on 364p/kg. However, most farmers report they are managing to secure a base of 364p/kg on prime cattle across all plants.

Factory agents indicate that there are more cattle coming on to the market compared with the previous week, but they are still working hard to source good steers and heifers.

Additional numbers mostly consist of cull cows. One plant is importing cows from Scotland, which is helping to maintain throughput.

Farmers report a range of prices on steers and heifers. Good-quality beef-bred animals are moving from 362p to 366p/kg for farmers with limited numbers. Farmers are finding it hard to negotiate beyond this price unless they have a good supply of in-spec animals.

With a strong mart trade, some farmers with smaller cattle numbers to sell have opted to move them through the live trade.

At the top end of the trade, there are still deals of 370p/kg on offer, but, as usual, these prices are paid mostly to finishers who are currently selling on a weekly to fortnightly basis. Young bulls are moving from 362p to 366p/kg, with dairy-bred animals selling from 350p to 360p/kg depending on conformation and numbers on offer.

Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers was 360.34p/kg. The average price paid on U3 steers was 371.7p/kg, with U3 heifers on 373p/kg. Cows were paid 302.5p/kg for R3 animals.

Cows

The beef trade for cows is holding steady, as farmers resist moves by processors to reduce prices on the back of increased numbers. Quotes for O+3 animals are 270p to 275p/kg, with R grade animals on 285p/kg.

Lamb trade

The fat lamb trade is under further pressure this week and the plants have cut quotes by 15p/kg, to 410p/kg on offer up to 21kg deadweight. The cut takes £3.15/head off last week’s price.

In the marts, there are big shows of lambs and the prices are down. The drop on Monday and Tuesday was from £4 to £4.50/head; and Rathfriland, on Tuesday evening, the drop was £8.50/head.

In Kilrea, 540 lambs sold from 364p to 378p/kg. This is down 24p to 33p/kg compared with last week.

In Massereene, a sale of 946 lambs made from 370p to 400p/kg, down 20p/kg on last week.

In Saintfield, 672 lambs sold from 360p to 390p/kg, down by 20p/kg for heavier lambs and by up to 34p/kg for lighter lambs.

Rathfriland had a big sale of 1,035 lambs making from 345p to 385p/kg and averaged 359p/kg. This was down 39p/kg on the sale last week.

The firm trade in fat ewes has been maintained, with some top prices showing increases. Ewes sold to a top of £94/head in Newtownstewart and to £110 in Swatragh. Omagh had a very big sale of 598 ewes selling to a top of £123. In Kilrea, the top price was £81 and in Massereene was £114. In Saintfield, they sold to a top of £90; while in Rathfriland the top price was £88/head.