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Positive price trends within the beef trade have continued into this week and with factories keen to lock in numbers, farmers with cattle to sell are on solid ground to bargain for higher prices.
Most reports indicate there is another 2p/kg to be had on in-spec steers and heifers, bringing more cattle to the 500p/kg price mark.
Base quotes have also edged upwards by 2p/kg, which brings U-3 grading animals to 478p/kg, although some plants are working on an official quote of 472p/kg.
However, reports indicate 496p/kg is a realistic base for conventional animals and with factory agents reluctant to lose cattle, there is plenty of flexibility being shown when negotiating on price.
Deals, including free transport, remain on offer, as do deals that waive penalties on animals falling outside of weight limits.
Prime steers and heifers are freely moving at 498p and 500p/kg, while farmers with a stronger hand in terms of bigger numbers indicate that 2p to 4p/kg more is available.
Higher prices are also easier to secure on butcher-type heifers and where farmers have the option to offload slaughter-fit animals via the live ring.
The live trade is also heating up and good-quality cattle are regularly commanding prices of 290p to 300p/kg, which equates to deadweight prices of 500p to 517p/kg at 58% kill-out.
Beef prices in Britain are also edging upwards, with U grading animals in Scotland touching 530p/kg and prices in the region of 520p/kg in England.
Last week, the average price paid across all steers and heifers dipped 0.3p to 485.5p/kg, with U3 steers up 2p to 497.1p/kg.
Heifers at the same grade were fractionally lower at 497.8p/kg, with bulls up 3.2p to 491.2p/kg.
Cows
Quotes on cull cows are steady at 375p/kg, but bear no resemblance to price deals on offer. Good-quality beef cows are closing in on 400p/kg, with prices above this as conformation increases.
NI sheep: quotes steady but price deals rising
Marts have seen bigger numbers at sales held this week, yet prices for fat lambs increased by £2 to £3.
Plants have left quotes on 590p/kg, but higher prices are available and deals of 600p to 605p/kg are freely available.
In Gortin, a good trade saw lambs sell to £137.50 for 26kg, £136 for 32kg, 24kg made to £127.50 and 22kg to £124.
Kilrea sold 1,400 lambs from 548p to 590p/kg, up 4p/kg on last week. Lambs at 19kg made £112, 20kg to £117, 24kg to £138.50 and 28kg at £164.
In Markethill, 1,610 head sold from 540p to 575p/kg, little change on last week, with 20kg at £115, 20kg at £114.50, 24.2kg at £131.50 and £130.
Store lambs were a very strong trade, with 664p/kg for 13.7kg at £91 and 647p/kg for 13.3kg at £86.
In Saintfield, just over 1,000 head sold from 535p to 625p/kg, up 5p/kg on last week, with £149 for 30kg Texels and £142 for 28kg Charollais. The main run was £125 to £135.
In Ballymena, 24kg sold to £135, with the main run from 535p to 550p/kg halfweight.
Fat ewes
The fat ewe trade is stronger this week. In Gortin, ewes sold topped £156, with a big run from £110 to £150. Kilrea topped £178, while, in Markethill, fleshed ewes made £120 to £216, with plainer sorts from £70 to £110. In Saintfield, Texels sold to £220, with a big run from £160 to £205.
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