With the cattle kill reaching peak supply, meat plants are working at capacity to process cattle. Some plants remain on a six-day kill week to meet demand for the Christmas trade and will continue to do so for at least another week.

While there has been no significant price lift to date, base prices have hardened, with several plants adding 2p/kg to their base quote over the past week.

This brings base quotes for U-3 grade cattle to 352p to 354p/kg, but plants are working from the higher base quote as a starting price.

Supplies of cattle have increased, but the majority of these animals are coming from larger and specialist finishers who are working on some form of price arrangement with processors.

However, cattle agents are still keen to source numbers outside of this supply pool and they are offering deals similar to last week.

Farmers with in-spec steers and heifers are realising 4p to 6p/kg over base, with others reporting deals of 362p to 364p/kg at the upper end of the market where bigger numbers can be offered.

Dairy-bred and plainer cattle are moving at prices close to base quotes, with farmers reporting 346p to 350p/kg being paid.

Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers was steady at 349.47p/kg. The average price paid on U3 steers was 360.5p/kg, with U3 heifers averaging 363.3p/kg.

Prices in Britain continue to edge upwards, with 1p to 2p/kg more on offer this week. This puts R4L cattle to 375p to 385p/kg, depending on the region.

Cows

The number of cull cows coming on to the market continues to increase week on week. Prices are holding steady, with O+3 quotes on 275p/kg and R3 quotes at 285p/kg. Farmers with good-quality beef cows have reported deals of 290p to 310p/kg on offer.

Lamb trade

The trade for fat lambs has moved up smartly this week. At the upper weight limit of 22kg deadweight, base quotes are 390p/kg, up by 15p and 20p/kg on last week. However, sellers should be looking for 400p/kg, as the mart trade has improved significantly. A 22kg lamb is now worth up to £88/head.

In the marts, although the number of lambs on offer increased, prices were up by as much as 30p/kg. In Rathfriland, Tuesday evening, prices were up by 9p/kg on average, or over £2/lamb.

In Kilrea, 450 lambs sold from 355p to 369p/kg, up by 20p/kg on last week.

Massereene sold 983 lambs making from 350p to 392p/kg, up by 15p to 30p/kg.

In Saintfield, a sale of 972 lambs made from 338p to 407p/kg, up by 14p/kg.

Rathfriland had a sale of 900 lambs making from 335p to 414p/kg and averaging 358p/kg, up by 9p/kg on last week.

The top price for fat ewes increased in the majority of marts. Ewes sold to a top of £79 in Swatragh for 82 head sold. Omagh had 195 ewes selling to £113/head. In Kilrea, the top price was £77.50 for a small show of 30 ewes and in Massereene, ewes sold to £115 for 96 head. In Saintfield, the top price was £100 for 70 ewes sold.