NI Trends: higher quotes on offer for prime cattle

Tight numbers, combined with solid demand from UK retailers, continue to keep a strong floor under the trade for finished cattle in NI.

Quotes from factory buyers for clean cattle are up this week by 2p and 4p/kg, leaving the best quote at 458p for U-3 steers and 464p/kg for heifers.

However, much more is available, with prime steers and heifers generally trading at 486p to 488p/kg for U-3 grades.

Some factories will pay steer prices for young bulls in order to secure numbers.

Others are trying to buy young bulls at around 480p/kg.

There are no delays in getting cattle slaughtered at most factories.

Last week, U3 grading steers averaged 487.5p/kg, with U3 heifers at 485.8p/kg.

Those prices were back slightly on the previous week, despite the overall price paid for steers and heifers being over 3p/kg more.

The overall increase was mainly driven by a significant rise in prices paid for O grades.

Compared with the same week in 2023, current prices are nearly 26p/kg ahead.

Between the middle of May and the end of July last year, prices fell by 37p/kg.

Over the same period in 2024, the difference is only 2p/kg.

Prices in NI are currently trading around 10p/kg behind those being paid in Britain, but are over 50p/kg ahead of prices in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).

Despite that significant disparity, it is not leading to a surge in animals coming north for slaughter.

Last week saw 390 head imported from ROI, which was only slightly ahead of the weekly average for this year.

Just 17 cattle moved in the opposite direction.

Cow trade

Base quotes for cows are steady, with the best quote at 350p for an R grade, with 346p for an O3 grade.

However, well-fleshed young cows are making up to 400p/kg.

The average price paid last week for an R3 cow was 373.7p, with R4 grades at 378.2p/kg.

NI sheep: spring lamb prices move up

Spring lamb prices have moved up again this week. Factories have increased quotes to 610p/kg and the best are paying to 22kg deadweight, making a lamb worth £134.20 at the 22kg limit.

In Gortin, lambs sold to £159 for 28kg, with £152 for 27kg and £138 for 24.5kg. Lambs at 22.5kg made to £132.

Kilrea had a strong sale, with 1,100 lambs selling from 560p to 640p/kg, up by 18p to 42p/kg. Heavy lambs were in demand and 640p was paid for 25kg at £160 with 24kg at £152 (633p), £148.50 (619p) and £143 (596p). Lambs at 21kg made £126.50 (602p), with 18kg at £106 (589p).

In Markethill, 1,120 head sold strongly from 560p to 622p/kg, up by 20p to 40p/kg. The 622p saw 23kg lambs make £143. Heavy lambs sold to 597p for 24.8kg at £148 followed by 579p for 24kg at £139.50.

Light store lambs made 614p/kg paid for 15.3kg at £94 and 610p for 15.9kg at £97. Stronger stores made 585p for 17.1kg at £100, with 584p for 17.8kg at £104.

In Saintfield, 850 head sold from 555p to 640p/kg, up by 15p on last week.

In Ballymena, £144 was paid for 24kg, up by £5/head on last week and £137 for 23kg, up by £3 on last week.

Fat ewes in Gortin sold to a top of £216, with a run from £130 to £196/head. In Kilrea, the top was £275. In Markethill, a very strong trade saw Texel ewes selling to a top of £272 and from £190 to £234, with plainer types making from £80 to £130.