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The beef trade is on a firm footing this week, as processors continue to prioritise throughput in the run-up to Christmas.
Base prices have increased by 2p/kg on prime cattle, putting official quotes on 480p to 484p/kg for U-3 animals.
With several plants running kill lines over six days, there are deals to be had, as factory agents are reluctant to leave cattle behind them.
The strength of processing demand is reflected in the weekly kill reaching a new record high for Northern Ireland of 12,173 cattle last week.
That surpasses the previous high point of 12,032 in November 2022, with both occasions being the only time the weekly kill has broken 12,000.
With factory agents keen to lock in supplies for the coming weeks, deals of 500p/kg remain widely available for in-spec steers and heifers.
Farmers selling on a more regular arrangement or those with greater negotiating power due to having bigger numbers to offload report deals of 505p/kg on offer.
Higher prices are reserved for specialist finishers, who remain extremely active in the live ring for short-keep cattle, where 290p to 300p/kg is freely available for good-quality animals.
Young bulls are moving at 490p/kg to 494p/kg for animals meeting specifications on age, conformation and carcase weights.
Animals falling outside these specifications are moving closer to official base quotes. Last week, the average price of steers and heifers eased by 1.2p to 489.6p/kg.
Steers at U3 conformation dipped by 0.3p to 500.4p/kg, with heifers slipping 0.1p to 500.6p/kg, whereas young bulls rose by 1p to 489.7p/kg.
Cows
Some plants continue to prioritise kill lines for prime cattle and have reduced throughput of cows. That is affecting prices on older dairy-bred types, with prices back 2p to 4p/kg.
However, young suckler types are moving from 390p to 410p/kg depending on quality, with R3 animals averaging 398.4p/kg last week.
NI sheep: lamb quotes rise again
The live trade remains positive, with some sales seeing lamb prices rising 18p/kg on last week.
Plant have responded, with quotes up 5p to 625p, but deals of 630p to 640p/kg have been paid.
In Gortin, a strong trade saw lambs selling to £156 for 34kg, £154 for 28kg, 24kg to £133, 22.5kg to £130 and 21kg to £123.
Kilrea sold 1,400 lambs from 588p to 686p/kg, up 18p/kg on last week. Store lambs led the trade, with 686p/kg paid for 17.5kg at £120 and 18kg at £117 and £115. Lambs at 22.5kg made £140, 23.5kg also at £140 and 21kg at £127.50. A big run made 585p to 600p/kg.
There was a steady trade in Markethill, as 1,280 head sold from 570p to 615p/kg, no change on last week. Lambs at 20.8kg made £128, 20.2kg at £122, 24kg made £137.50, with 24kg at £136.
Store lambs improved in price, with light lots at 14.7kg on £114, 12.8kg at £96 and stronger sorts at 17.7kg on £127.
In Saintfield, 740 head sold from 575p to 700p/kg, up 10p/kg for heavier lambs, as 30kg made £161 to £174, with the main range from £135 to £161. Stores from 14kg to 18kg made from £96 to £119.
In Ballymena, the trade was strong. Lambs at 23.5kg made £143.50 and 21kg at £131.
Fat ewes
Fat ewes are a strong trade. In Gortin, ewes sold to a top of £308, with a run from £140 to £192. In Kilrea, ewes topped £280. In Markethill, fleshed ewes made £130 to £226, with plainer sorts from £70 to £120. In Saintfield, Texels sold to £244, with a run from £160 to £220.
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