Cattle quotes steady

Base quotes are again unchanged with both steers and heifers at 316p/kg all-in for in-specs. Slow beef sales continue to mean there is little incentive for factory buyers to chase cattle, although deals well ahead of quotes are available for regular suppliers and bigger loads. With numbers tight, farmers are applying pressure to get factory offers to a base of 320p/kg.

The kill last week slipped to only 4,442, one of the lowest weekly kills over the last 10 years.

The trade in cattle for slaughter in and out of NI saw imports from the south at 316 head. Exports south for slaughter were only 14 head with 40 sent across to Britain.

Prices paid last week continued to edge up, with steers and heifers averaging 317p/kg, the highest average since the end of May. Young bulls were up over 8p/kg to average 302.8p/kg.

Quotes for good grade R and O+ cows are steady and are in the range 250p to 255p/kg, although R4 grading cows last week averaged 267.5p/kg.

Spring lamb

There continues to be big numbers of lambs coming into the factories. Quotes are 360p and 355p for FQAS to 21kg.

There are also plenty of lambs in the marts and in Kilrea, 500 sold from 320p to 350p, up by 2p to 10p/kg.

In Massereene, 1,100 lambs sold from 335p to 362p/kg, with fat ewes to £80.

In Saintfield, 801 lambs sold from 325p to 370p/kg, with the bulk of lambs in the range 330p to 340p/kg. Very good Texel-cross lambs weighing 21kg made £71 a head (338p/kg) and 22kg made £73.80 (335p). And fat ewes sold to £90.