Some plants have maintained base quotes this week for clean cattle, although others have applied further price deductions, leaving the best starting quote of 612p/kg for U-3 grading steers and heifers.

That leaves a range in starting prices around the factories, with some paying as low as 604p to 606p/kg, with slightly more going for larger suppliers and in-spec cattle.

Last week saw prices paid take a significant hit, with U3 steers down 9p at 619.7p/kg and R3s back 7.3p at 617p/kg.

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U3 grading heifers averaged 621.4p/kg, down 7.2p, with R3 grades at 615.6p, down 8.4p/kg. U3 young bulls averaged 608.9p/kg, down 5.4p on the previous week.

Across all steers and heifers, the average price paid was at 612p/kg, which is 31p/kg below the average at the start of the year and 60p/kg behind the same week in 2025.

Processors maintain that beef sales are very difficult, with consumers cutting back on spending amid the hike in energy prices.

The market in Britain is also well supplied with cheap beef from Australia and New Zealand. Reports suggest quite a lot of NI beef has been put into cold stores in the hope this product will be shifted if and when supplies start to slow.

Britain

In Britain, the trade also came under significant pressure last week, with U-3 grading steers down 7.7p to average 627.1p/kg and U-3 heifers back 8.7p at 634.4p/kg.

In the Republic of Ireland, processors have taken 10c off quotes this week, which would leave prices paid over 30p/kg behind NI.

Last week, 297 Irish cattle were imported for direct slaughter in NI, which is up from the 211 head the previous week, but still behind the weekly average of 400 so far this year.

The total NI kill last week stood at 9,578, which included 1,782 cows. That kill was up 300 head on the previous week. However, when compared with the same period last year, total slaughter numbers are down 7%.

Cows

The quotes for fat cows are steady at the plants and the best quote for an O+ cow is at 505p/kg.

Similar to prime cattle, the prices paid for cows took a hit last week. R3s were down 10.2p at 538.1p, with P2s down 11p at 475.1p/kg.

NI sheep: higher prices for spring lambs

The spring lamb trade in NI has picked up this week, with the best lambs in the marts making over £200/head and up to 927p/kg.

Quotes in the plants vary. Best quote for spring lamb is in Dunbia at 890p, down 10p/kg, with 900p available at a push.

In Gortin, lambs at 24kg made £216 or 900p, with 23.3kg at £204 or 875p. Lighter lambs made big prices, with 20kg at £192 or 960p and 18.5kg at £179 or 967p/kg.

In Kilrea, lambs at 20.5kg made £190 or 927p/kg, with 24kg at £216.50 or 902p/kg. Lambs at 21kg made £183 or 871p, with 23.5kg at £200.50 or 853p/kg. Heavy hoggets made from £192 to £198.

In Markethill, light lambs made 895p for 21.8kg or £195, with 859p paid for 21.9kg or £188/head. Heavy lambs reached £204 and £206.

Saintfield had lambs making from 817p to 900p/kg, up by 40p on last week.

In Ballymena, lambs at 22kg made from £192 to £203 and to a top of 923p/kg. Lambs at 23kg made to £202 or 878p/kg, with 24kg at £211 or 879p/kg.

Fat ewes

The trade for top fat ewes is also up. In Gortin, the top price was £300, with a run from £200 to £290.

In Kilrea, the top was £288 and in Markethill, it was £296, with a run from £200 to £290.

In Saintfield and in Rathfriland, the top price was £288.