Farmers with a steady supply of finished cattle are on the front foot when it comes to negotiating with factory agents on price.

Competition for slaughter-fit stock is rife and processors are reluctant to let cattle slip through their grasp.

Deals on transport are on the table, as are flat rate prices on out-of-spec animals simply to sweeten the pot and secure numbers coming on to the market for the next few weeks.

Base quotes are edging upwards with another 2p/kg available this week. This brings U-3 grading animals to 426p/kg.

Price deals are also edging upward with most farmers reporting an additional 2p/kg on offer.

Farmers selling cattle on a regular arrangement report 440p/kg being paid for in-spec steers while good quality heifers are generally making 442p to 446p/kg for bigger numbers.

With supplies of steers tailing off, price deals on young bulls are easier to come by. Farmers report that in-spec animals are starting at 430p rising to 438p/kg for bigger numbers.

The rise in base price has improved the value of Angus cattle processed through the various breed schemes, with farmers reporting prices exceeding 450p/kg for suckler-bred animals with good conformation.

Last week, the average price paid across all grades of steers and heifers increased by 2p to 425.24p/kg.

For U3 grading cattle, steers rose by 2.5p to average 438.7p/kg while heifers increased by 2.8p to average 440.4p/kg. Young bulls at the same grade rose by 2.4p to 427p/kg.

Irish cattle imported for direct slaughter at local plants totalled 358 head with 83 animals heading in the opposite direction.

Cows

The cull cow trade remains buoyant and with factories competing against a rampant live trade, prices are at record levels. Quotes for R3 cows are up 6p to 362p/kg. But this is 20p/kg behind the prices being paid as farmers offloading good-quality cows report deals of 380p to 400p/kg.

Factory agents are trying to keep a lid on the trade, but supplies of hoggets are rapidly declining.

This is creating more demand for spring lambs and while quotes are unchanged, processors have had little option but increase prices mid-week.

Factory quotes for spring lambs sit on 620p/kg at 21kg deadweight while hoggets stick on 575p at 22kg deadweight.

But prices are running 20p/kg ahead of base to entice farmers to sell.

In Kilrea, 320 lambs sold to a top of 591p/kg for 21.5kg at £127. Lambs at 20kg made £120 (590p), 21.5kg at £124 (577p) and 20.5kg at £117 (571p). The top price per head was £131 for 24.5kg.

In Massereene, a small show of 140 lambs sold to a top of 605p/kg for 21kg at £127, with 598p for 21.5kg at £128.50, 587p for 22.5kg at £132 and 586p for 21.5kg at £126.

Hoggets made £125 for 28.5kg and £120 for 25kg with a big run from £112 to £118.

In Saintfield, 245 lambs saw prices paid from 580p to 620p/kg.

In Rathfriland, 216 lambs sold from 556p to 606p/kg with and average on 588p/kg.

Ewes

Prices for fat ewes picked up again this week. In Kilrea, top price was £200. In Massereene, top was £170 for Charollais with a big run of Texels from £130 to £146. Suffolks, Mules and Dorsets made from £120 to £128 while Blackface made to £108. In Rathfriland, ewes topped £184.