Several beef processors have increased their quotes by 2p/kg as plants react to the improving beef trade.

This puts factory quotes on 356p to 360p/kg and brings plants more in line with the prices currently being paid.

Cattle numbers are tightening. Higher throughput of prime cattle earlier this year has created a deficit in supplies at present.

For the year to date, the prime kill is more than 120,000 as of the week ending 5 May, which is 4,000 cattle more when compared with the same week last year.

Cull cows have also tailed off after a strong week-on-week throughput earlier this spring.

For the year to date, the cow kill is over 36,700 as of 5 May, compared with 32,000 cows processed during the corresponding period last year.

Last week, the prime cattle kill fell by more than 500 head to 6,780 animals. The cow kill fell by 100 head to 1,872. Cow throughput has fallen by more than 500 head inside the past fortnight.

The supply situation is putting farmers with cattle to sell in a strong position to negotiate on price.

Most farmers report that plants are working from a base of 360p/kg, with deals of 2p/kg to 4p/kg more being offered to finishers with limited numbers of in-spec animals.

Farmers with higher numbers of cattle to offload are realising better prices. Deals of 366p to 370p/kg have been reported on steers, with heifers securing deals of 372p to 374p/kg at the upper end of the market.

Dairy-bred cattle are a strong trade, with prices of 350p to 356p/kg on offer to farmers with bigger numbers to offload.

Cows

Quotes for cows remain on 280p/kg for O+3 animals, with 290p/kg on R3 cows.

However, prices are still running 10p to 30p/kg ahead of quotes for good-quality beef animals.

Hogget and Spring lamb trade

Hogget numbers are down significantly and next week could probably be the last kill. Best factory quote is at 550p/kg, making a 22kg hogget worth £121. Small numbers in the marts saw trade broadly similar to last week.

Best spring lamb quote is at 590p/kg, making a 21kg lamb worth almost £124.

In the marts, Massereene sold 276 spring lambs from 540p to 590p/kg, down by 10p/kg on last week.

In Saintfield, 244 lambs made from 517p to 580p/kg, down 15p/kg for heavier lambs, but up by 20p/kg for lighter lots.

In Rathfriland, 350 springs made from 538p to 581p/kg and averaged 555p/kg, up by 20p/kg.

At Kilrea, 250 hoggets made 489p to 535p/kg, up by 11p to 30p/kg on last week.

Massereene had only 232 hoggets making from 420p to 507p/kg, down by around 20p/kg.

In Saintfield, 130 hoggets made from 400p to 460p/kg, no change on last week.

In Rathfriland, only 31 hoggets ranged from 428p to 500p/kg.

The fat ewe trade remains strong, with top prices up in most marts. Swatragh had 330 ewes to a top of £135. In Omagh, top was £130 for 242 sold. In Massereene, the top was £127 and in Saintfield was £113. Rathfriland sold 228 head to £105.

In Ballymena, the best ewes with twin lambs at foot sold from £185 to a top of £208.