Quotes for fat cattle remain unchanged this week, with a best quote of 632p for U-3 grading steers and 636p for heifers.

The actual prices being paid remain about 20p/kg ahead of those base quotes, with slightly more going for regular suppliers.

Anyone with butcher-type heifers remains in a strong position to negotiate for deals into the 660s.

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More cattle are starting to come forward, with last week’s prime kill of 6,991 head the largest since mid-June.

There were also 2,052 cows slaughtered, leaving the total kill at 9,371.

While that total is up 829 head on the previous week, it is still well behind the same week in 2024, when 10,568 cattle were slaughtered, including 2,790 cows.

Some of that difference can be partly explained by a significant drop in ROI imports sent for direct slaughter in NI.

Last week, just 246 were imported, compared with 925 in the same week in 2024.

That drop off is due to tight numbers in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), which have driven on prices paid ahead of both NI and Britain.

However, there are concerted efforts from Irish factories to get prices down, with 20c to 25c/kg taken off the prime cattle trade in the last two weeks, leaving prices paid this week slightly behind what is on offer in NI.

The prices paid last week in NI did edge back for some grades, although U3 steers were up 0.3p at 656.1p/kg.

Across all steers, the average price paid was 649.9p/kg, down 1.1p, while heifers averaged 651p/kg, down 0.2p.

It is a similar picture in Britain, where prices paid were back slightly, with U-3 grading steers at 654p/kg, down 0.8p and U-3 heifers dropping 1.8p to average 657.2p/kg.

Cows

The base quotes for fat cow at the plants are also steady this week, ranging from 520p to 540p for an O+ cow.

However, with a significant price gap to ROI, factories had to pay more last week to secure supplies.

The price paid for R3 grades was up 6.7p at 581.1p/kg, with R4s up 2.8p at 576.4p/kg.

The cow trade remains extremely strong in local marts, with prices of over 400p/kg paid for exceptional lots.

NI sheep: higher prices for lambs in marts

There are fewer lambs in the marts and prices for fat lambs went up by 10p/kg in Markethill and were steady elsewhere. Store lamb prices remain strong.

Kilrea sold 800 lambs, making from 595p to 755p/kg, little change on last week. The 755p was for 22kg at £166. Lambs at 23.5kg made £140 or 596p, with 21kg making up to up to £131.50 or 626p/kg.

Store lambs made from 658p for 19kg at £125 to 632p for 17kg at £107.50.

Markethill had a better trade, with 1,370 lambs making from 590p to 655p/kg, up by 10p on last week.

The 655p was for 20kg at £131, with 637p for 21.2kg at £135. Heavier sorts made 585p for 24.2kg at £141.50, with 563p for 24kg at £135 and 543p for 24.3kg at £132/head.

Store lambs were a very strong trade, with 983p paid for 11.9kg at £117 and 895p for 12.4kg at £111.

In Saintfield, 860 lambs made from 585p to 698p/kg, little change on last week. Texels at 28kg made £145, with 25kg at £145. Charollais at 27kg made £145. Stores at 17kg made to £121.

Fat ewes

Fat ewes in Kilrea sold to £210, while, in Markethill, fleshed ewes sold from £140 to £198 with plainer sorts from £90 to £130.

In Saintfield, Charollais made £211, with Suffolks to £200. Texels made from £180 to £198/head.