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At 388p to 394p/kg, official base quotes on prime cattle continue to fall well below the price deals on offer to farmers with in-spec animals.
Most farmers indicate deals are generally 10p and 20p/kg above base for steers and heifers meeting carcase weight limits and not being marketed under premium breed schemes.
Price reports this week indicate U grading steers moving off farm on 406p to 408p/kg, with 410p/kg being offered to regular finishers.
Heifers are faring slightly better, with deals of 408p to 412p/kg for in-spec animals.
Higher prices are mainly reserved for butcher-type heifers with tight carcase weight specifications or for specialist finishers with a regular supply arrangement.
Young bulls are a more difficult sell and most price reports are generally in line with base quotes at 394p/kg.
Processors continue to face a challenge in keeping kill lines and boning halls adequately staffed
Cattle sold through breed schemes are also closely aligned with base quotes, as are animals exceeding carcase weight limits.
Processors continue to face a challenge in keeping kill lines and boning halls adequately staffed. This is curtailing factory throughput and several farmers indicate a waiting period of around two weeks to offload cattle for slaughter.
For U3 grading animals, the average price paid for steers also increased by 1.1p to 408.5p/kg
Last week, the average price paid across all grades of steers and heifers rose by 1.1p to 397.95p/kg.
For U3 grading animals, the average price paid for steers also increased by 1.1p to 408.5p/kg, while the average price paid on heifers was up 1.2p to 411.4p/kg. R3 grading steers and heifers both averaged 405.8p/kg.
Cows
Processing demand for cull cows remains robust, despite no change to base quotes, which remain on 290p/kg for R3 animals and 280p/kg on O+3 cows.
As with prime cattle, base quotes fall well below deals on offer. This is reflected in the price paid on R3 cows last week, which averaged 319.5p/kg.
Farmers indicate prices of 310p to 320p/kg on offer, with higher prices for animals with improved conformation and young cows.
NI sheep: prices steady after price cuts
After significant price cuts last week, the trade for slaughter fit hoggets has steadied again. Base quotes on hoggets remain on 540p/kg, making a 22kg carcase worth £118.80.
In the live ring, there was a slow start to the week, but prices improved by Wednesday. Kilrea had a small show of 380 hoggets making 502p to 528p/kg, no change on last week.
Massereene sold 430 hoggets from 490p to 519p/kg, which was also unchanged on the week.
Saintfield sold 455 hoggets from 480p to 550p/kg, while Rathfriland sold 245 hoggets from 490p to 540p/kg, with the sale averaging 510p/kg, up 5p/kg on the week.
In Ballymena on Wednesday morning, heavy hoggets at 27kg and 28kg sold from £122 to £124.50, 23.5kg made £118, with 21.5kg to £109. Stores at 16kg made £84, with 17kg at £97.
Ewes
Fat ewes remain a great trade. In Kilrea, ewes sold to £140 and to £135 in Massereene. In Saintfield, the top was a record-breaking £236, while in Rathfriland, the top price was £198.
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