Cattle quotes steady

Quotes for cattle at the plants this week are steady and steers and heifers are at 320p/kg all-in for in-spec animals. The penalties on more than four farm residencies continue to be applied as before.

There is some nervousness in the trade, not helped by the fall in Irish prices last week, with one factory talking about a price cut for next week.

The import trade in cattle for slaughter saw 744 head come in last week from the south, the highest weekly figure so far this year. Exports to the south were 59 head and only 81 head went across to Britain.

The kill last week of 7,182 was similar to the week before, but 600 head behind the same week in 2013.

There remains no great urgency on buyers to source numbers.

Prices paid last week were largely unchanged. Average steer price was up 2p, but heifers back 2p to leave the average at 316.9p/kg

Quotes for good grade R and O+ cows are in the range 250p to 260p/kg.

Spring lamb

The quotes for lambs are at 350p/kg for FQAS to 21kg at the factories this week with good numbers on offer.

In the marts, Kilrea sold 500 lambs from 325p to 349p/kg, little changed from last week. Fat ewes sold to £88.50.

In Massereene, 916 lambs (up 400 on last week) sold from 310p to 338p, down around 10p to 15p/kg.

Saintfield had a smaller show with 574 lambs (down over 500 head) and they sold from 325p to 375p/kg, up 10p to 15p/kg. One northern buyer got a good run of lambs averaging 23kg and paying 325p or £74.50 a head. And 123 fat ewes sold to a great top price of £112 a head.

In Rathfriland, a big show of 1,283 head made up to 398p for the lightest lambs. Fat lambs at 22kg and above averaged 327p/kg, with 21kg averaging 330p/kg. And fat ewes made to £112 a head with a run from £85 to £90.