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The beef trade continues to strengthen and with factory agents chasing supplies that are growing increasingly scarce, prices appear to rising on a daily basis.
Base quotes have jumped 6p/kg this week, with plants now quoting 522p/kg for U-3 grading animals, although this bears no reflection to deals offered to farmers on conventional cattle.
However, it is keeping a lid on cattle sold through breed schemes, such as Angus animals, as the bonus lifts the end price to between 540p and 550p/kg.
That is generally in line with conventional cattle prices being reported this week, although most indications put factories opening at 536p to 540p/kg.
Farmers with a good supply of in-spec animals are securing deals above 540p/kg with growing regularity, while the lure of greater numbers is reportedly pushing deals on to 550p/kg.
However, these prices fall short of what is currently being paid by specialist finishers and factory agents in the live ring.
Mart managers indicate the availability of finished cattle remains limited, driving prices for good-quality animals well above 300p/kg, with 320p to 350p/kg being paid regularly.
That equates to deadweight prices above 550p/kg, rising upwards to 600p/kg. Where farmers are encountering difficulty when negotiating on price, and are not under movement restriction, the live trade should be strongly considered.
With cattle in demand, there has been a sharp rise in mart managers south of the border reporting an influx of buyers from Northern Ireland seeking slaughter-fit animals.
Prices in Britain have jumped by as much as 10p/kg in some regions this week, particularly Scotland, with U grading animals freely making 595p to 600p/kg.
Cows
Quotes on cull cows are steady, with O+3 animals on 420p/kg, while R grading animals are on 430p to 440p/kg, rising to 450p/kg for younger, suckler-bred animals.
NI sheep: live trade moves further ahead of factory prices
The live trade continues to set the pace for hoggets, with prices rising above £190 for heavy sorts and £180 becoming more common.
Factory quotes lag well behind, despite a 5p/kg increase to 705p/kg base, with deals of 720p to 740p/kg paid.
In Gortin, heavy hoggets were a strong trade, with 30kg and 32kg making £191 to £195 and a big run from £162 to £190.
In Kilrea, hoggets sold to 750p/kg, with 24kg to £170, 22kg to £163, 21kg to £147, 19.5kg on £142.50 and 18kg to £135.
In Markethill, 780 head sold in an outstanding trade from 670p to 715p/kg, up 30p/kg on last week.
Good-quality heavy hoggets sold from 640p to 688p/kg, with 25kg at £172 and 24kg at £163.50. Midweights at 20.4kg made £146, with 22kg on £157.
Saintfield had an improved trade, as 690 hoggets made 665p to 755p/kg, up 15p/kg. Hoggs at 28kg made £183, 25kg at £180 and a big run from £160 to £177.50. Lighter sorts at 20kg made £145.
In Rathfriland, 27kg made £179, 23.1kg at £157.50 and 16kg stores at £123.
In Ballymena, a very big show of 2,500 fat hoggets had 30kg making £180 to £184. Hoggs at 25kg made £175.50, 24kg at £170, 23.5kg at £168, 22.5kg to £160 with 21kg at £147.
Fat ewes
There is a very strong trade in fat ewes this week. In Gortin, ewes topped £315, with a run from £180 to £300.
In Kilrea, ewes sold to £250. In Markethill, ewes topped £270, with others from £250 and £265. Second-quality lots made £120 to £180, with plainer sorts from £60 to £90.
In Saintfield, the best Texels made £255, with a run from £180 to £242. Rathfriland sold ewes from £250 to £308.
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