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Supplies of factory-fit lambs continue to tighten and with processing demand exceeding numbers coming onto the market, prices have seen further increases this week.
Quotes are up 10p/kg to 540p/kg but deals of 10p/kg more are on offer to keep pace with local marts where buyers for slaughter plants in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) are extremely active for stock.
ROI factories are paying €6.80/kg, which converts to a sterling equivalent of 560p/kg excluding VAT and payable to 22.5kg.
Beef
The beef trade is steady this week, with official quotes unchanged at 446p/kg for U-3 grading animals, although most deals for in-spec steers and heifers remain on 464p to 468p/kg. Cattle throughput at processing plants has been exceptionally strong in the three weeks either side of the strike action by DAERA veterinary officials, with kills exceeding 11,000 head on each occasion, the highest weekly kills to date in 2023. The weekly average for the year currently stands at just over 9,200 head.
An upturn in beef sales in the run up to Christmas has helped factories to absorb the extra animals in the supply chain.
However, most factory agents indicate that Christmas orders will be more or less wrapped up this week and killing schedules will return to normal capacity levels during December.
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