The cattle trade is holding steady this week, with processing plants leaving base quotes unchanged. This keeps U-3 grading steers moving from a base of 320p/kg and heifers working from a starting price of 322p/kg.Cattle agents continue to report that finished cattle remain widely available, although there have been reports that good-quality heifers are slightly harder to source.
The cattle trade is holding steady this week, with processing plants leaving base quotes unchanged. This keeps U-3 grading steers moving from a base of 320p/kg and heifers working from a starting price of 322p/kg.
Cattle agents continue to report that finished cattle remain widely available, although there have been reports that good-quality heifers are slightly harder to source.
That said, most farmers report delays of two to three weeks to get cattle processed, with the exception being where larger numbers of heifers can be offered for sale.
Heifers are faring better and farmers report prices of 326p/kg available for in-spec animals
With lengthy delays in place, farmers report little change to the price deals on offer. Deals on steers appear to be limited to little more than 2p to 4p/kg, with higher price deals being limited to larger finishers on supply agreements.
Heifers are faring better and farmers report prices of 326p/kg available for in-spec animals, with 328p to 330p/kg being paid to regular finishers with bigger numbers to offload or to farmers with supply agreements in place.
Farmers report cattle are working from a lower base, with price being discounted according to conformation
Young bulls are a more difficult sell, with any prospect for an improved price being dependent on suckler-bred animals with carcase weights below 400kg.
Cattle originating from the dairy herd are also a difficult sell.
Farmers report cattle are working from a lower base, with price being discounted according to conformation.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers eased by 0.5p to 315.9p/kg. The average price paid on U3 grading steers was static on 321.7p/kg, with the average price paid on U3 heifers down 0.4p to 328.9p/kg.
Imports of Irish cattle for direct slaughtering at NI plants increased to 427, up from 328 during the previous week.
Cows
Base quotes for cull cows is also holding steady this week, with 260p/kg on offer for R3 grading animals, while 250p/kg is the best quote on offer for O+3.
Lamb trade
The NI sheep trade remains steady, with factory quotes holding on a base of 345p/kg.
This makes fat lambs worth £72.45 at the 21kg carcase limit. A move to increase carcase limits to 22kg is at least four weeks away, as the processors state demand for heavier lambs is weak at present. The live trade is starting to edge upwards, but only by a small amount.
In Kilrea, 550 lambs sold from 304p to 334p/kg, up by 2p/kg for heavier lambs and by 17p/kg for lighter sorts.
Massereene had a show of 1,155 lambs, making from 310p to 335p/kg, up by 10p/kg for lighter lambs.
In Saintfield, 74 lambs sold from 300p to 352p/kg, no change on last week.
In Lisahally, good lambs averaging 24.6kg made £70/head. Rathfriland had a show of 523 lambs, selling from 298p to 384p/kg, with a sale average of 321p/kg, up by 3p/kg on last week.
Ewes
The fat ewe trade has weakened slightly this week, with lower top prices being paid. The top in Newtownstewart was £78, while in Omagh, the top was £85.
Swatragh sold ewes to £85 for a show of 425 head. In Massereene, top was £88 and in Saintfield, it was £95, with ewes in Rathfriland making £90/head.
Store lambs in Ballymena sold to a top of £65.50 for Texels with the main from £63 to £65/head.
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