This is a subscriber-only article
The beef trade is booming across the UK and farmers with cattle to sell hold all the cards when negotiating on price.
Where farmers are pressing home that advantage, reports indicate price deals are up 2p/kg 4p/kg on last week.
There are also the usual deals on free transport, flat-rate prices for out-of-spec animals and no penalties for animals exceeding carcase weight limits up for discussion.
Base quotes have also edged upwards, with another 2p/kg bringing U3 animals to 498p/kg, but reports indicate 510p/kg is a much more realistic opening price.
Farmers offloading cattle indicate deals of 512p to 516p/kg are freely available on steers and heifers, depending on numbers.
Finishers with greater selling power indicate higher prices are available, simply to keep pace with the live ring, where 300p/kg is commonplace, equating to a deadweight price of around 520p/kg.
Young bulls are moving at 504p and 506p/kg, but deals of 510p/kg are being paid on animals meeting retail specification on age and carcase.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers across all grades rose by 2.8p to 501.5p/kg.
Steers at U3 conformation set a new record high of 509.3p/kg, while heifers at the same grade jumped 3.6p/kg, setting an all-time record high of 513.1p/kg. Young bulls averaged 502.7p/kg.
While prices at local plants are at unprecedented highs, they still fall well short of what abattoirs in Britain are paying.
Beef prices in Scotland and England have smashed through the 550p/kg barrier and, in some regions, U grading animals are close to 560p/kg as demand outstrips supply.
Processing demand in the Republic of Ireland is also outstripping supply and prices are rising on a daily basis.
Cows
The cow trade has kicked on a notch, with quotes up 10p to 396p/kg for O+3 animals, while deals for suckler types range from 400p to 420p/kg. Last week, R3 cows averaged 409.3p/kg.
NI sheep: lamb quotes rise to 670p/kg
A rampant live trade has boosted lamb prices, pushing factories to increase quotes and start officially paying to 23kg deadweight.
Quotes of 660p/kg are available, but so is 670p/kg, and for farmers with bigger numbers, another 5p to 10p/kg is on offer.
In Gortin, a record-breaking trade saw lambs sell to £167.50 for 25.5kg, £164.50 for 26.5kg and 24kg to £147.50, up £11.50 on last week.
Kilrea had a big show of 1,800 lambs sell from 650p to 741p/kg, up 40p/kg on last week. Store lambs reached 741p/kg for 16kg at £118.50 with 16.5kg at £112. Lambs at 24kg sold to £154 and 22.5kg made £154.
In Markethill, a show of 1,280 head met a firm trade from 620p to 678p/kg, as 20.5kg made £139, 20.2kg to £136.50, 24.9kg made £162, with 24.3kg at £152.
Store lambs were steady, with 15.7kg making £123.50, 16.2kg at £126 and 18kg made £130.50.
In Saintfield, 680 head sold from 615p to 710p/kg, up 5p/kg for heavier sorts. The best lambs at 30kg made from £158 to £163, 25kg at £155, 24kg to £151, 20kg to £130 and stores at 17kg made £118.
A settled trade in Ballymena for 2,300 lambs saw 24.5kg make £155.50, 21kg to £140.50, 22.5kg at £148 and a big run from 630p to 650p/kg.
Fat ewes
The trade for fat ewes is steady. In Gortin, ewes topped £230, with a run from £150 to £216. Kilrea sold to £234. In Markethill, fleshed ewes made £130 to £250, with plainer sorts from £80 to £110. In Saintfield, Suffolks sold to £210, with Texels to £208.
SHARING OPTIONS: