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The prime cattle trade remains static, with very little change in terms of price and supply. In contrast, the cow trade has seen prices easing again this week.
Processors point to a surge in cull cow numbers in Britain causing an oversupply of manufacturing beef.
As a result, cow prices in Britain have fallen by 30p/kg, forcing plants to pull quotes on this side of the Irish Sea also.
Good-quality R grading cows are working from a base of 270p/kg, with deals of 280p/kg going on younger animals.
However, deals on plainer cows are extremely limited. Base prices remain on 260p/kg, with some plants looking to pull this back 5p/kg.
For prime cattle, processors report they are fully booked for next week. Cattle agents also state they should have adequate numbers for the following week.
Beyond that, there is less certainty on the availability of cattle. Some agents indicate that supplies may well start to tighten in mid-November after a period of exceptionally high throughput during October.
Processors are also starting to fill orders for the Christmas trade from this week onwards and there are hopes that this could help to inject a new lease of life into the trade with increased beef sales.
Base quotes remain on 348p/kg rising to 352p/kg on U3 grading heifers.
However, farmers report that cattle are generally starting from 352p, with 354p/kg buying the bulk of steers.
Farmers with bigger numbers of heifers are securing 6p to 8p/kg above base on in-spec animals. Young bulls are a difficult trade. Farmers with good numbers of in-spec animals are struggling to better 350p/kg for U grading bulls.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers was down by 0.4p/kg to 349.91p/kg. The average price paid on U3 grading steers was up marginally to 356.9p/kg, with U3 grading heifers down 2.5p/kg to 361.7p/kg.
Lamb trade
Quotes at the plants are steady this week at 380p/kg. This makes a lamb worth £79.80 at the 21kg limit.
In the marts, there were more lambs on offer, especially in Rathfriland. However, the average price dropped by 2p/kg.
On Monday in Kilrea, they sold 330 lambs from 340p to 377p/kg, up 8p/kg on last week. Massereene sold 986 lambs making from 340p to 377p/kg, no change on the previous week.
On Tuesday, Saintfield had a big show of 886 lambs making 340p to 382p/kg, no change on last week. Top price was £85 for lambs ranging 25kg to 29kg halfweight. Good lambs made £82 to £84 for lambs at 25.3kg to 27.5kg and £76 to £77.50 for 22kg to 23kg. Store lambs at 17kg made £64.
At Rathfriland, a very big show of 1,138 lambs sold from 325p to 395p/kg and averaging 348p/kg, down by 2p/kg on last week.
Ewes
The fat ewe trade is holding up well, with little change in top prices. The top price in Newtownstewart was £80 and in Omagh it was £86. Swatragh sold 150 head to £94. Top in Massereene was £92 for 124 sold. Saintfield sold 103 ewes to £88 and in Rathfriland they made £93 for 148 sold.
In Ballymena, forward store lambs were a very good trade. The best Texels made £76.50, with Suffolks making to £74.50. The best Suffolks for breeding made £138, with mules at £127 and crossbreds at £120. Ewe lambs were a steady trade, with mules making £87, £86 and £85.
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