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The growing scarcity of finished cattle across the UK and Ireland has eliminated any sign of the usual January slowdown within the beef trade.
Processing demand is outstripping supplies coming on the market, putting farmers with cattle to sell in the driving seat when negotiating on price.
Where farmers are encountering difficulty in securing higher returns, the advice from others finishers is do not be afraid to walk away and sell live or to competing plants.
Base quotes have risen to 516p/kg for prime cattle at U-3 conformation.
However, the general run of reports indicate 530p/kg is freely available as a realistic opening price, up 50p/kg on the same week last year.
Farmers with a good supply of in-spec steers and heifers are seeing deals of 534p and 536p/kg on offer, rising closer to 400p/kg for those with greater negotiating power.
Prices of young bulls are also on the rise, with deals starting around the 520p/kg mark, while reports from farmers supplying animals within retail market specifications indicate 530p/kg has been paid.
Deals are also being made that include free haulage, as are flat-rate payments on animals falling outside of market specification on conformation.
There are reports of animals being presented for slaughter under fleshed, as farmers look to offload animals before the 28-month age limit under the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme.
In such scenarios, farmers are advised to do their sums on the cost of getting animals to the appropriate fat cover, as the increased sale value and carcase weight may outweigh the £75 payment.
Prices in Britain are running 40p to 50p/kg ahead of Northern Ireland, with U grading cattle in Scotland running above 580p/kg, while in England prices are closing in on this threshold.
Cows
Base quotes of 400p/kg are available on O+3 cows, with R grading animals on 410p to 420p/kg, although deals range upwards to 450p/kg depending on conformation and age.
NI sheep: marts driving hogget trade
The live trade for hoggets starts the new year on a very positive note, with heavy lots reaching £185.
Local plants raised quotes to 700p/kg for 23kg deadweight, but with marts freely returning prices of £165 to £175, deals of 620p and 630p/kg are available.
In Gortin, heavy hoggets were a strong trade, with 28.8kg making to £182, 23.5kg to £166 and 22kg to £142.
In Kilrea, a big show of 1,200 hoggets sold from 672p to 705p/kg. Heavies at 32kg made £184, 26kg at £171.50, 24kg made £161.50 and stores at 16kg made £124.
In Markethill, 920 head sold in an excellent trade from 640p to 688p/kg, with firmer prices for heavy hoggets.
Good-quality heavy hoggets at 24.5kg made £165, 24.9kg at £166.50, with several pens from £170 to £176.
Good-quality mid-weight hoggets sold well, with 21kg at £144.50 and 20kg at £137.50. Quality stores sold at £108 for 14.5kg, with stronger lots at 18.2kg to £133.
Saintfield had an improved trade, selling 555 hoggets from 650p to 716p/kg. Texels at 27kg made £185, 25kg Beltex at £179, Hampshire Down at 29kg made £179 and a big run from £156 to £172. Lighter sorts at 20kg made £128.
In Ballymena, store hoggets were a strong trade. Texels hit £144, with a run from £117 to £132. Fat hoggets saw 1,300 head penned, with heavy lots at 30kg making £170 to £176, 24kg at £159 to £167 and 21kg at £147. Stores at 17.5kg made £125.
Fat ewes
There is a strong trade for fat ewes this week. In Gortin, ewes sold to a top of £272, with a run from £142 to £210.
In Markethill, 220 cull ewes topped £284, with others at £270, £260 and £244. Fleshed ewes made from £170 to £236, with second-quality from £120 to £170.
In Saintfield, the best Texels made £285 and £274, with a big run from £170 to £268.
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