Cattle quotes continue to edge upwards, with some plants now on 450p/kg for U-3 grading animals as factory agents compete for stock.
Numbers remain tight and in some instances, factory agents were left short of cattle early this week as snow and ice created dangerous road conditions.
As such, reports indicate processors resorted to sourcing additional numbers from larger feedlots to maintain throughput. Deals offered on cattle are well ahead of quotes and prices are edging up on previous weeks at the lower end of the market.
Transport is also being included in negotiations in lieu of higher prices, while penalties are being waived on cattle falling outside of market specification.
Farmers indicate that most plants are opening on 460p to 462p/kg where numbers on offer are more limited.
However, with cattle highly sought after, farmers are managing to secure higher returns and there are multiple reports of deals being made at 464p to 466p/kg for in-spec animals.
Farmers with bigger numbers are reporting that deals of 468p and 470p/kg are becoming more widely available.
At the upper end of the market, larger finishers offloading animals on a regular basis are trading above 470p/kg.
Prices on young bulls are in line with the top end of base quotes, although farmers selling animals meeting certain carcase weight limits are securing upwards to 460p/kg.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers across all grades increased by 3.4p/kg to 449.74p/kg.
Steers at U3 conformation jumped 4.2p/kg to average 464.2p/kg, with heifers at the same grade rising 2.9p/kg to 464.9p/kg. Young bulls averaged 448.9p/kg for U3 animals.
Cows
Quotes on cull cows have also increased this week, with O+3 animals on 360p/kg and R3 cows on 370p/kg.
But as has been the case for several weeks, good-quality cows are making 390p/kg upwards to 420p/kg depending on the level of conformation.
NI sheep: plants make further price cuts on hoggets
Prices of fat hoggets have seen further cuts this week, with 495p and 500p/kg on offer, but reports indicate 505p/kg is available where farmers dig in. This makes hoggets worth £111 at the 22kg deadweight limit.
Marts had smaller shows and this helped to steady prices in the main.
In Gortin, the best hoggets made £117, with 24kg selling to £115, 23kg to £111.50, 22kg at £109 and 21kg made £102.
Kilrea had a steady trade for a small show of 390 hoggets. Prices made 455p to 500p/kg, with 25kg making £116 and 23kg at £102.
In Markethill, 200 hoggets sold from 450p to 478p/kg, down 15p/kg on last week. Saintfield sold 525 hoggets from 460p to 520p/kg, no change on last week.
In Rathfriland, 417 hoggets sold from 430p to 480p/kg with the sale average of 467p/kg down 8p/kg on last week.
In Ballymena the trade was better, but overnight snow meant a very small turnout of sheep was on offer.
Texels at 26kg made £124, with 23.5kg at £115.50. Hoggets at 24kg made £116 and £114, 22kg made £109 and £108, 21kg at £104 and 20kg to £98.
Ewes
Fat ewes are a steady trade, with strong prices paid for well-fleshed types.
In Gortin, ewes made £170, £160 and £156, with a big run from £102 to £132.
In Kilrea, the top price was £150 and in Markethill, top was £130. In Rathfriland, top was £236 and in Saintfield, it was £178.
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