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Supplies of finished cattle continue to tighten, leading factory agents to become much more active in sourcing animals with improved price deals on offer to lock in numbers.
With prime cattle under 30 months qualifying for a £20 payment from 1 January under the new Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme, factories are struggling to book numbers for the second half of next week.
To entice farmers into selling cattle between Christmas and new year, factory agents are having to offer an extra 4p to 5p/kg to offset the new payment.
Base quotes are up 2p/kg, bringing U-3 animals to 454p/kg this week.
The higher base is a positive for cattle processed under native breed schemes, as premiums are paid on top of official quotes.
Elsewhere, the main run of steers and heifers have increased by another 2p to 4p/kg, with 474p/kg widely available as a starting price.
But with factories struggling to source numbers for the week ahead, deals of 476p to 480p/kg are on offer, some of which include free transport.
At the upper end of the market, prices rising to 484p/kg have been reported for big numbers of in-spec heifers.
Young bulls are making anywhere from 460p/kg up to 470p/kg, depending on age, conformation and carcase weight.
Holidays
Factories will close on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 December, but are working Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 December. All plants are closed 1 January.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers across all grades rose by 2p to 460.05p/kg with U3 steers down 0.2p to 471.8p/kg. Heifers at the same grade jumped 3.6p to 473.4p/kg, with young bulls up 1.6p to 457.7p/kg.
Cows
Demand for cull cows has hardened in recent weeks, putting a floor under the trade.
Base quotes on R3 animals remain on 326p/kg, but deals are closer to 340p/kg.
Last week, the average price for R3 cows was 336.5p/kg.
NI sheep: factory quotes steady but more on offer
Factory prices for fat lambs are steady, with quotes holding at 535p for 22kg deadweight, making a lamb worth £117.70 at the outlined weight limit.
Marts have seen fewer lambs on offer this week, underpinning prices at Tuesday and Wednesday sales.
In Kilrea, the trade was steady, with lambs selling to 515p/kg. Lambs at 19kg made £94, with 21.5kg to £108.50, 22.5kg to £114.50 and heavy lots at 26kg to £127.
Markethill sold a smaller show from 480p to 530p/kg, up 11p/kg for lighter lambs.
Heavy lambs at 25.3kg made £122, 25kg to £120 and 24kg to £119. Quality middleweights made £114 for 21.5kg, £117 for 23.3kg and £106.50 for 21kg.
Store lambs were a firm trade selling to 563p/kg for 13.5kg at £76 and 19.8kg making £100. Store lambs in Ballymena Mart sold from £76 to £102.
In Saintfield, a smaller show of 440 lambs sold in a buoyant trade from 490p to 547p/kg, up 10p to 17p/kg on last week. Heavy Texels at 30kg made £130, 25kg at £125, 24kg to £124.50, 23kg to £115 and 21kg to £106.
In Ballymena, the trade was very sharp, with 25kg lambs reaching £131. Lambs at 28kg sold to £127, 26kg to £126, 26.5kg at £123, 24kg to £121.50, 23.5kg to £121.50 and 22.5kg made £110 to £112.
Ewes
The trade for fat ewes was firmer this week. In Kilrea, the top was £200. In Markethill, fat ewes made £90 to £134. In Saintfield, top was £175, with a big run from £110 to £168.
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