Cattle prices have steadied on the back of the bank holiday weekend leaving a shorter kill week. As such, processors have found it easier to secure numbers, stalling the upward price momentum coming into the trade during late March.

With plants closed over the Easter period, there is a small backlog of animals and indications are that plants have cattle booked well into next week.

However, some cattle agents indicate that supplies of finished cattle remain tight and the situation could quickly turn in the weeks ahead.

With cattle easier to source, there has been no change to base prices. Plants are leaving quotes on 350p to 354p/kg for U-3 grading animals, with the bulk of cattle being bought at 358p to 360p/kg. There are deals being made at 2p to 4p/kg above this for bigger numbers of in-spec steers and heifers, but they are not as common as the previous week.

Higher prices are restricted to larger finishers offloading cattle on a regular basis.

Prices have followed a similar trend south of the border, with the Easter period allowing processors to hold prices as cattle are easier to source.

However, prices in Britain have strengthened as supplies of finished cattle have tightened significantly.

U grading cattle are moving around the 370p to 375p/kg mark for steers, with heifers making 375p to 380p/kg, although more is being paid within specific regions, especially Scotland.

Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers increased to 354.92p/kg.

The average price paid for U3 steers was 361.6p/kg, with U3 heifers averaging 367.5p/kg.

Cows

With the prime cattle trade holding steady, there has been no movement in prices for cull cows.

Quotes remain on 290p/kg for O+3 animals, with R grading cows on 300p/kg, with deals of 10p to 15p/kg above base on offer.

Hogget trade

Quotes at processing plants for hoggets have eased slightly this week, with the best quote on 500p/kg, making a 22kg hogget worth £110.

Plants are quoting for spring lamb, but they require very limited numbers this week for the local butcher trade. Quotes are 560p to 580p/kg. This makes a 21kg lamb worth £121.80.

In Rathfriland, there were three pens with a total of 29 spring lambs and they averaged 560p/kg.

The mart trade resumed on Tuesday and the supply of hoggets was limited, with very small shows resulting in buoyant prices in Saintfield, but some reduction in Rathfriland in the face of poorer quality.

However, good hoggets were in demand from southern buyers and hoggets weighing 25kg and 26kg made from £112 to £118.50/head.

In Saintfield, only 243 hoggets were on offer, selling from 446p to 526p/kg, up by 46p/kg on last week.

In Rathfriland, a very small show of 218 hoggets ranged from 395p to 462p/kg and averaged 435p/kg, down by 15p/kg on last week.

The fat ewe trade remains strong, with higher top prices, up by £5 to £7/head. Swatragh had a big sale of 450 ewes making £134. In Saintfield, the top was £123, and in Rathfriland, it was £115 for 117 head sold. There was a good number in the range £100 to £110/head.

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