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The beef trade across Northern Ireland remains on a steady footing, with little movement in cattle prices across all types of stock. Supplies of cattle coming on to the market and processing demand are finely balanced and with sales of beef still under pressure in Britain, there is little sign of any upward movement entering the trade at present.
Factories continue to quote 324p to 334p/kg on prime cattle with U-3 conformation. However, most indications are that there is little change to deals being offered above base price.
As a result, cattle are moving off farm at 336p to 340p/kg for steers and suckler-bred bulls meeting market specifications on carcase weight and age limit.
Supplies of cattle coming on to the market and processing demand are finely balanced
More regular finishers are offloading steers at 342p to 344p/kg, with heifers being offloaded at similar prices. Farmers with bigger numbers are securing an additional 2p to 4p/kg.
Cattle with lower conformation are being bought at the bottom end of the range of base quotes, as are cattle that qualify for premium breed schemes.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers was 334.06p/kg. Steers averaged 332.71p/kg across all grades, a marginal increase of 0.4p/kg on the previous week. The average price paid on U3 steers increased by 0.2p to 340.6p/kg.
The trade for heifers returned an average price of 335.72p/kg paid across all grades, with U3 grading animals selling to an average of 346.9p/kg, a rise of 1p/kg week on week. NI cattle prices are trending above the EU above average, which is returning 338.5p/kg on U3 steers and 344.8p/kg for U3 heifers.
Cows
The trade for cull cows is also steady, with plants continuing to leave base quotes unchanged. This keeps R3 grading cows on 260p/kg, with O+3 grading animals on 250p/kg.
There are deals on offer for young good-quality suckler cows, which are paying 270p to 280p/kg on R grading animals.
Farmers with bigger numbers are securing an additional 2p to 4p/kg.
Hogget trade
The hogget trade has strengthened again this week, with 20p/kg added to quotes which now stand at 465p/kg. This makes a hogget worth £102.30 at the 22kg deadweight limit.
The trade in the marts is also improved, with prices up on last week.
In Kilrea, 320 hoggets made from 416p to 454p/kg, up by 12p/kg for heavier hoggets.
Massereene had a show of 606 hoggets, which sold from 425p to 478p/kg, up by 10p/kg.
In Saintfield, a big show of 707 hoggets made from 400p to 459p/kg, little changed on last week.
Rathfriland had a sale of 514 hoggets making from 403p to 473p/kg, with an average of 422p/kg.
In Gortin, heavy hoggets at 28kg to 31kg sold from £115 to £120. Stock at 26kg made £105 to £109 with 22kg and 23kg making from £101 to £104/head.
Ewes
Buying demand for well-fleshed ewes remains strong, with higher prices at some marts. The top in Newtownstewart was £100, with ewes in Omagh making £108 and in Swatragh £154 was paid for 350 head sold. In Massereene, the top was £145 and in Kilrea, ewes made £129. In Saintfield, the top was £150 and in Gortin, top price was £155, with a big run from £100 to £143/head.
In Ballymena, ewes with twin lambs at foot were a terrific trade selling from £180 to £260, the latter price for Suffolk ewes with twins. The best springing ewes sold from £130 to £155, the latter price paid for Texels.
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