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The beef trade has moved up another level, with official quotes rising 6p/kg this week and price deals edging above 550p/kg for in-spec animals.
Official quotes have risen to 528p/kg for U-3 grading animals, but, in reality, this falls well short of what is being paid for conventional cattle.
However, it is keeping prices paid on cattle processed through breed schemes, such as Aberdeen Angus, in check as bonus premiums apply on top of official base price.
This puts Angus cattle with higher levels of conformation into 550p/kg and above territory.
Prices paid for conventional cattle are also up week on week, with most reports indicating another 4p to 8p/kg is available on prime steers and heifers.
Farmers indicate 544p to 546p/kg is a realistic base for in-spec animals and while there are plenty of cattle moving at this level, reports indicate there is more on offer.
Deals of 548p and 550p/kg have been reported, while finishers with greater numbers and able to supply a steady flow of cattle over the coming weeks indicate deals of 552p and 554p/kg are available.
Farmers not under movement restriction should be using the live trade to their advantage, as factories are using this outlet to maintain throughput, but having to pay much higher prices to secure numbers in the process.
Free haulage is also being offered as an added incentive, while penalties on carcase weight limits, which processors rigidly enforce when markets are oversupplied with cattle, are now non-existent.
Price deals on young bulls are varied. There are plenty of farmers securing deals on bulls matching steer prices of 544p to 550p/kg, while other reports put bulls moving around 10p/kg below these levels.
Cows
Official quotes on cull cows remain on 420p/kg for O+3 grading animals, although there are deals of 430p/kg available for older beef-bred animals with 450p to 460p/kg paid on good cows. However, the live trade is paying significantly more for good-quality cows.
NI sheep: factories make cuts to hogget quotes
The hogget trade has steadied this week, as factories attempt to curtail the momentum in the live ring.
Plants have cut base quotes by 10p to 690p/kg, although with reports of limited success. Other plants are not quoting.
The live ring is holding relatively firm, with prices of £165 to £170 paid for fleshed hoggets, which on a 23kg carcase is 717p to 739p/kg.
In Gortin, heavy hoggets at 29kg made £170 to £182, with a big run from £154 to £165 for lighter lots.
In Kilrea, 1,450 hoggets sold from 655p to 685p/kg, with 20kg on £137, 23.5kg at £160.50 and 24kg to £161.50. Lighter sorts at 17kg made £116, with 19.5kg at £130.
In Markethill, 1,080 head sold from 650p to 715p/kg, down by 20p/kg for heavier sorts.
Good-quality heavy hoggets at 24kg and 24.2kg made £158.50. Middle weights were steady, with 20.2kg at £144.50 and 21kg at £150.
Saintfield sold hoggets from 628p to 710p/kg, down 35p/kg on last week. Heavy Texels from 25kg to 30kg made from £160 to £172, Charollais at 24kg made £154.50 and Texels at 22kg made £145. Texels at 21kg made £140, with 18kg at £125.
In Rathfriland, heavy hoggets at 28kg made £166, 24.5kg at £151, 21.5kg made £134, with 21kg at £125. Stores at 18.9kg made £118 with 16.5kg at £100.
Fat ewes
The trade in fat ewes remains very strong. In Gortin, the best ewes sold from £272 to £286, with a big run from £192 to £228 and plainer lots on £160 to £186.
In Kilrea, ewes sold to £260, while, in Markethill, fleshed ewes topped £272, with others from £250 to £270. Plainer sorts made £100 to £150.
In Saintfield, the best Texels made £246 to £288, with the main trade from £162 to £235.
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