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There are some positives in the beef trade this week, with reports that cattle agents have become much more active on prime heifers.
While supplies of cattle remain plentiful, this mostly applies to cull cows and plainer cattle mainly suited to supplying manufacturing beef.
Cattle agents indicate that there is a limited pool of good-quality butcher-type heifers and, as a result, there is room for farmers to bargain on price.
Agents have been offering deals of 2p to 6p/kg above a base price of 344p/kg for farmers supplying good numbers of U3 grading animals.
There is reportedly more on offer for larger finishers that can supply prime heifers on a regular basis into the new year.
The other positive for farmers is that plants have held base quotes this week, despite operating on a shorter kill week over the next two weeks.
Plants continue to quote 336p to 340p/kg on steers, with heifers on 342p to 344p/kg for U3 animals and indications are that there is unlikely to be any change to these prices over the Christmas period.
While there is room to negotiate on heifers, there is little movement on steers and young bulls, with prices steady.
All plants will close on 25 and 26 December and 1 January, with some plants also closed on 27 December.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers was 341.62p/kg, down by 0.7p/kg on the previous week.
The average price paid on U3 steers was down 2.6p/kg to 347.8p/kg, with U3 heifers averaging 356.4p/kg, an increase of almost 3p/kg as demand for heifers strengthened toward the end of the week.
Cows
After several weeks of downward price pressure, factory quotes on cull cows have steadied.
Base quotes on R grading cows are holding at 246p/kg, with little more than 5p/kg on offer for good-quality beef animals.
Base quotes on O+3 cows are holding at 236p/kg.
Lamb trade
The lamb trade has improved this week, with one plant putting 5p/kg on to its quote, while another plant remains unchanged. This puts quotes on 405p and 410p/kg, making a lamb worth up to £90.20 at the 22kg limit.
In the marts, there were approximately half the number of lambs on offer compared with the previous week and there were some increases in prices. Rathfriland, Tuesday, was up by 7p/kg.
On Monday in Kilrea, 300 lambs sold from 365p to 417p/kg, little changed on last week. Massereene sold 709 lambs making from 370p to 404p/kg, up 5p/kg on last week.
On Tuesday, Saintfield had a show of 510 lambs making from 362p to 465p/kg, unchanged for heavier lambs. The top price was £93 per head for heavy lambs.
In Rathfriland, 400 lambs sold from 353p to 434p/kg and averaged 384p/kg, up 7p/kg on last week. The heaviest lambs made to £97.50. Store lambs were an excellent trade.
Ewes
The fat ewe trade is holding, with good well-fleshed ewes making top prices. The top price in Newtownstewart was £82.50 and in Omagh it was £93 for 213 sold. Swatragh sold 150 head to £116. The top in Massereene was £90. In Kilrea, ewes sold to £98 and in Saintfield, they sold to £98. Rathfriland sold 93 ewes to £100, paid twice.
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