This is a subscriber-only article
Prices for finished cattle continue to edge upwards as factory agents remain active in sourcing numbers.
That keeps farmers with prime steers and heifers on the front foot when negotiating on price, especially when there is the option to offload finished cattle via the live ring.
Base quotes are unchanged on 470p to 476p/kg for U-3 grading animals and lag well behind the price deals on offer.
Most reports indicate that 490p and 492p/kg is a realistic base, with steers freely moving on deals of 494p to 496p/kg.
Heifers are faring better, with deals of 496p to 498p/kg common, while regular finishers indicate 500p/kg has become much more widely available.
Where bigger numbers are available or there is a steady flow of cattle coming on to the market, there are deals running 2p to 4p/kg above the 500p/kg mark for in-spec animals.
Young bulls are also rising in value, with multiple reports of 490p/kg being freely available on animals meeting carcase weight and age limits.
In some instances, there are regular finishers securing deals on young bulls which are in line with steer prices.
Factory agents are also offering free transport and waiving penalties on cattle falling outside market specifications as an alternative to higher prices.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers of all grades rose by 1.13p to 485.1p/kg, with U3 steers up 2.3p to 495.1p/kg.
Heifers at the same grade jumped 4p to 497.9p/kg, while young bulls rose 2.7p to 488p/kg. While prices in NI have increased, they are running 25p to 30p/kg behind factory prices in Britain.
Across the water, beef prices exceed 520p/kg in Scotland, while they are quickly closing in on that price level in England.
Cows
Cull cows are also in demand and there is scope to bargain for higher prices.
Quotes on O+3 animals remain on 375p/kg, with-good quality suckler types making 380p to 410p/kg.
NI sheep: quotes steady as trade levels out
The live trade for fat lambs remains firm, with a small uplift at some marts.
Base quotes are unchanged at 590p/kg, but deals are running to 600p/kg at the 22kg limit.
Marts
In Gortin, a good trade saw lambs selling to £139 for 28.5kg, £138 for 27.5kg, with 23kg to £127, up £5 on last week.
Kilrea sold 1,300 lambs from 544p to 585p/kg, no change on last week. The best lambs were 20kg at £117, 22.5kg at £127, 24kg to £131.50 and 21kg at £118.
In Markethill, 1,510 head sold from 540p to 600p/kg, little change on last week. Lambs at 22kg made £132, 22.2kg at £128, 28.3kg at £154 and 24.4kg at £130.
Store lambs were a strong trade, with 649p/kg paid for 16.1kg at £104.50 and 617p for 14.1kg at £87.
In Saintfield, 690 head sold from 530p to 620p/kg, up 10p/kg on last week. Leading prices saw £145 for 27kg Texels and £140.50 for 25kg Charollais. The main run was £120 to £139.
In Ballymena, lambs at 21.5kg made £118, 21kg to £114 and 25.5kg made £132.
Fat ewes
Fat ewe are a stronger trade this week. In Gortin, ewes topped £168, with a run from £130 to £162. Kilrea topped £156.
In Markethill, fleshed ewes made £130 to £258, with plainer sorts from £70 to £110. In Saintfield, Texels made £241, with the main run from £160 to £212.
SHARING OPTIONS: