Base quotes for clean cattle are mostly unchanged this week, although one factory has shaved 2p off its quote for steers.

Quotes for U-3 grade steers are at best 336p/kg, with 334p, 332p and 330p initially offered elsewhere. For heifers, quotes are at best 336p/kg, with 334p and 332p also on offer elsewhere.

With numbers coming forward reasonably strong and factories well booked into next week, some factory agents are keen to get quotes back. But that has been resisted by farmers and reports suggest that attempts by one factory to take 6p off this week didn’t work. It means 344p to 346p/kg was still being widely paid at the start of the week to regular suppliers for U-3 grade cattle, with more paid for heifers.

Despite slaughter numbers increasing again last week to 8,596, the highest weekly kill since April, the actual prices paid remained largely unchanged. Steers and heifers averaged 334.27p/kg, with U3 grade steers at 344.6p and heifers at 346.1p/kg. Last week’s kill included 2,250 cows, the biggest so far this year.

With more cattle available locally, the number of cattle coming in from the south for slaughter evaporated to only 76 head last week, down by 116 head on the previous week. Trade in the opposite direction was only 121 head. The trade across to Britain for slaughter was 140 head, down slightly on the previous week.

After strong increases in recent weeks, reports suggest that the British market has steadied, with R4Ls quoted at around 360p/kg in the north of England.

Cow trade

Quotes in NI plants for fat cows are steady this week and the best quote for an O+3 grade cow is 245p/kg, with others quoting 240p/kg. The best quote for an R grade is at 250p/kg. Last week the average price paid for R3s and R4s was around the 272p/kg mark.

Lamb trade

The trade in fat lambs at the start of the week was mixed, with Kilrea and Saintfield down slightly, while Massereene was up a little. In the factories, quotes are up, with 385p/kg deadweight the best offer and 380p elsewhere. This makes a lamb worth almost £81 at the 21kg limit.

In the marts, Kilrea had a big sale of 560 lambs selling from 338p to 356p, down by 7p/kg for lighter lambs.

Massereene sold 971 lambs making from 340p to 371p/kg, up by 4p for lighter lambs.

Saintfield had 815 head and made from 330p to 378p, down by 8p/kg.

In Rathfriland, the sale had just over 1,000 lambs, but trade was duller. Prices averaged 340p/kg, down 15p on last week. Top price was £81 for 25kg, with £77 for 23kg, and a big run of lambs making from £73 to £76/head. The store lamb trade was also down on last week.

The trade in fat ewes has firmed, with the price of top lots in the marts mostly showing increases. Top in Newtownstewart was £80; in Swatragh was £100/head; in Omagh £100 for a big show of 295 ewes; in Massereene was £89; and in Saintfield was £114. In Rathfriland, the top for 150 ewes sold was £82, down by £3 on last week.