It’s a case of as you were in the beef trade this week, with no change to the base quotes. This keeps U-3 grading animals on 326p to 334p/kg, meaning factory quotes have remained static since early January.
With a relatively flat market in the UK for prime beef cuts, the prospect for any upturn in price in the weeks ahead looks unlikely.
Supplies of finished cattle coming on to the market are finely balanced with processing demand, with cattle agents indicating they are booked for the week ahead.
This keeps steers moving from a base of 334p to 338p/kg
Deals are available on good-quality cattle meeting market specifications on carcase weight, with prices on offer similar to previous weeks.
This keeps steers moving from a base of 334p to 338p/kg, with 2p to 4p/kg extra for more regular finishers with bigger numbers of cattle to offload.
Out-of-spec cattle are a more difficult trade
Heifers continue to move off-farm at 342p to 346p/kg, with a small cohort of farmers reporting wholesalers buying butcher-type heifers at 350p/kg.
Out-of-spec cattle are a more difficult trade, with farmers indicating cattle are being priced from the lower end of the range of base quotes and heavy discounts for overweight animals.
Last week, prices paid across all steers and heifers averaged 332.49p/kg, down by 0.9p/kg on the week.
The average price paid on U3 steers hardened slightly, rising by 0.5p to 340.1p/kg, while U3 heifers averaged 345.6p/kg, down 1.9p/kg on the week.
With sterling weakening against the euro over the past week, the number of cattle moving north of the border for direct slaughter eased slightly to 306 head.
Cows
While factory quotes on cull cows remain unchanged at 260p/kg for R3 animals and 250p/kg for O+3 cows, cattle agents are still keen to source younger continental lots with good conformation.
Deals of 275p to 285p/kg are on offer for R grade cows, with more for U grading animals.
Hogget trade
The hogget trade has strengthened again this week, with a top quoted base price of 490p, an increase of 10p/kg on last week. This makes a hogget worth £107.80 at the 22kg weight limit.
In the marts, the number of hoggets forwarded was up on last week, but the trade has remained firm.
In Kilrea, 380 hoggets made from 435p to 490p/kg, a rise of 13p/kg for heavy hoggets.
The top price per kilo was 500p/kg, paid on 23.5kg hoggets
Massereene had a show of 1,012 hoggets which sold from 440p to 500p/kg, up by 10p/kg for heavier lots. The top price per kilo was 500p/kg, paid on 23.5kg hoggets, or £117.50/head. Heavy hoggets made £119 for 30kg. Hoggets at 25kg to 27kg made from £110 to £116/head.
In Saintfield, a show of 566 hoggets sold from 424p to 485p/kg, unchanged on last week.
Rathfriland had a sale of 401 hoggets which sold from 415p to 478p/kg, and averaged 440p/kg, up 2p on last week.
Ewes
Factory demand for well-fleshed ewes is very strong, with some spectacular top prices. The top in Newtownstewart was £125 and in Omagh, ewes made £150, while Swatragh hit £173 for 450 head sold. In Massereene, the top price was £179 for Texel ewes with others at £167 and £165. Suffolks made £143. In Saintfield, ewes topped £166 and in Rathfriland, top price was £156/head.
In Ballymena, ewes with twin lambs at foot were a great trade selling from £140 to £232 for the top lots. The best springing ewes sold from £134 to £150 for Suffolks and to £146 for Texels. Store hoggets made £78.
Read more
Food not important to UK economy
EU-UK trade talks start on Monday
It’s a case of as you were in the beef trade this week, with no change to the base quotes. This keeps U-3 grading animals on 326p to 334p/kg, meaning factory quotes have remained static since early January.
With a relatively flat market in the UK for prime beef cuts, the prospect for any upturn in price in the weeks ahead looks unlikely.
Supplies of finished cattle coming on to the market are finely balanced with processing demand, with cattle agents indicating they are booked for the week ahead.
This keeps steers moving from a base of 334p to 338p/kg
Deals are available on good-quality cattle meeting market specifications on carcase weight, with prices on offer similar to previous weeks.
This keeps steers moving from a base of 334p to 338p/kg, with 2p to 4p/kg extra for more regular finishers with bigger numbers of cattle to offload.
Out-of-spec cattle are a more difficult trade
Heifers continue to move off-farm at 342p to 346p/kg, with a small cohort of farmers reporting wholesalers buying butcher-type heifers at 350p/kg.
Out-of-spec cattle are a more difficult trade, with farmers indicating cattle are being priced from the lower end of the range of base quotes and heavy discounts for overweight animals.
Last week, prices paid across all steers and heifers averaged 332.49p/kg, down by 0.9p/kg on the week.
The average price paid on U3 steers hardened slightly, rising by 0.5p to 340.1p/kg, while U3 heifers averaged 345.6p/kg, down 1.9p/kg on the week.
With sterling weakening against the euro over the past week, the number of cattle moving north of the border for direct slaughter eased slightly to 306 head.
Cows
While factory quotes on cull cows remain unchanged at 260p/kg for R3 animals and 250p/kg for O+3 cows, cattle agents are still keen to source younger continental lots with good conformation.
Deals of 275p to 285p/kg are on offer for R grade cows, with more for U grading animals.
Hogget trade
The hogget trade has strengthened again this week, with a top quoted base price of 490p, an increase of 10p/kg on last week. This makes a hogget worth £107.80 at the 22kg weight limit.
In the marts, the number of hoggets forwarded was up on last week, but the trade has remained firm.
In Kilrea, 380 hoggets made from 435p to 490p/kg, a rise of 13p/kg for heavy hoggets.
The top price per kilo was 500p/kg, paid on 23.5kg hoggets
Massereene had a show of 1,012 hoggets which sold from 440p to 500p/kg, up by 10p/kg for heavier lots. The top price per kilo was 500p/kg, paid on 23.5kg hoggets, or £117.50/head. Heavy hoggets made £119 for 30kg. Hoggets at 25kg to 27kg made from £110 to £116/head.
In Saintfield, a show of 566 hoggets sold from 424p to 485p/kg, unchanged on last week.
Rathfriland had a sale of 401 hoggets which sold from 415p to 478p/kg, and averaged 440p/kg, up 2p on last week.
Ewes
Factory demand for well-fleshed ewes is very strong, with some spectacular top prices. The top in Newtownstewart was £125 and in Omagh, ewes made £150, while Swatragh hit £173 for 450 head sold. In Massereene, the top price was £179 for Texel ewes with others at £167 and £165. Suffolks made £143. In Saintfield, ewes topped £166 and in Rathfriland, top price was £156/head.
In Ballymena, ewes with twin lambs at foot were a great trade selling from £140 to £232 for the top lots. The best springing ewes sold from £134 to £150 for Suffolks and to £146 for Texels. Store hoggets made £78.
Read more
Food not important to UK economy
EU-UK trade talks start on Monday
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