Cattle quotes down 4p/kg as supplies increase

The beef trade has eased this week, as supplies of finished cattle coming on to the market increase. Cattle agents indicate they are finding it much easier to secure animals for a numbers of reasons.

Sales of beef are slowing as the school holiday period approaches, resulting in factories needing fewer animals.

Elsewhere, there are increasing numbers of spring-born bulls coming on to the market, providing increased access to prime cattle supplies.

Other agents indicate that they are seeing more farmers looking to offload cattle to relieve stocking pressures as grass growth slows.

There is also a steady flow of housed cattle still coming on to the market from larger specialist finishers each week.

The end result is that several processors can manage throughput to their advantage and now have cattle booked through to the end of next week.

With less pressure on sourcing cattle, quotes has been reduced by as much as 4p/kg, with several plants working from an official base of 360p/kg for U-3 grading animals.

Deals on offer above base price are much more limited compared with previous weeks. Farmers indicate that plants are working from an opening price of 362p to 364p/kg and getting plenty of cattle at this level.

More regular finishers are reporting prices of 366p to 368p/kg, with 370p/kg at the top of the market, although this price is limited to sellers with bigger numbers to offer.

While prices have eased, the beef trade is on par with this time last year when quotes were also 360p/kg.

Last week, steers and heifers averaged 365.4p/kg, which was down 2p/kg on the previous week. The average price for U3 steers fell to 372.7p/kg, with U3 heifers on 375p/kg.

Cows

Quotes for cull cows are easing, with R3 cows on a base of 285p to 300p/kg, with O+3 animals on 275p to 290p/kg.

Lamb trade

The lamb trade is still in reverse gear and quotes at the plants are down by 10p and 20p/kg to 465p/kg. This makes a lamb worth £97.65 at the 21kg limit.

There were fewer lambs on offer in the marts, but prices have retreated by around 15p/kg.

Kilrea sold 250 lambs from 423p to 447p/kg, down by 22p/kg on last week.

Massereene sold 626 lambs making from 430p to 475p/kg. The main weight range of 22kg to 23kg lambs made from £100 to £102/head. Lambs at 24kg made £108 and £107. The top Texel pen at 27kg made £120 and the best Suffolks made £109. Lighter lambs at 19kg made £88/head.

In Saintfield, a small show of 384 lambs made from 420p to 465p/kg, down by 15p to 20p/kg.

At Rathfriland, a smaller show of 491 lambs sold in the range 418p to 440p/kg. The overall average was 430p/kg, down 16p/kg on last week.

The fat ewe trade is doing well and top prices are similar to last week. Swatragh sold 155 head to a top of £117. In Omagh, top was £125 for 144 sold. In Massereene, the top was £118 for 148 sold and in Saintfield, it was £100 for 131 sold. In Rathfriland, they sold 204 head to £105.