There is positive news in the beef trade this week with several processors increasing their base quotes by 4p/kg. This puts prime cattle on quotes on 354p to 360p/kg for U-3 grading animals.

While an increase in base price will be welcomed by farmers, it is merely bringing factory quotes into line with price deals processors have offered over the past month.

Most farmers report a steady trade, with similar deals to last week. Plants are working from a starting price of 358p to 360p/kg and they are getting cattle at this level, but mainly from farmers with smaller numbers on offer. Farmers with bigger numbers to offload are securing 362p to 365p/kg on in-spec steers and heifers, as well as suckler-bred bulls under 16 months of age and 400kg carcase weight.

Higher prices are mostly reserved for larger finishers selling regularly, or farmers selling through producer groups with supply arrangements. The balance between supply and demand is finely poised, with some cattle agents indicating that numbers could be harder to source in the weeks ahead.

Supplies of cattle have tightened south of the border, leading plants to increase prices by 5c to 10c/kg, making imports of southern cattle more expensive. In Britain, the supply of finished cattle has also tightened, with prices rising by 2p/kg on average.

U grade heifers are now making 382p to 385p/kg in Scotland and the north of England, with steers making 2p to 4p/kg less.

Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers increased to 355.36p/kg. The average price paid on U3 steers rose to 365.8p/kg with U3 heifers averaging 365.5p/kg.

Cows

Demand for cull cows is increasing, with plants becoming more competitive on price. Plants have increased quotes on O+3 grade animals to 290p/kg. Good quality beef cows are on a base of 300p/kg for R grades.

Hogget trade

Quotes for hoggets have stepped up this week. The best quote is 530p/kg, making a 22kg hogget worth almost £117. Plants are quoting for spring lamb but require limited numbers for local butchers. Quotes are at 590p to 600p/kg. This makes a 21kg lamb worth £126. In Massereene, there were 42 spring lambs with Texels at 24kg making £136.50 and £130. Suffolks at 23kg made £125. The mart trade for hoggets is buoyant and prices are well up. In Massereene, 29kg made £130 and 23kg made £124. In Rathfriland, the average was up by 45p/kg. At Kilrea, 390 hoggets made from 470p to 524p/kg. Massereene sold 1,151 hoggets, making from 470p to 540p/kg. In Saintfield, 330 hoggets were on offer, making from 455p to 490p/kg, up by 9p/kg for the main weight range. In Rathfriland, a show of 316 hoggets ranged from 440p to 536p/kg and averaged 480p/kg, up by 45p/kg on last week. The fat ewe trade remains strong, with higher top prices in some marts. In Newtownstewart, top price was £138 and in Omagh, it was £141. Swatragh sold 300 ewes to £131. In Massereene, the top was £136 and in Saintfield, it was £120. In Rathfriland, the top was £131 for 318hd sold.