Local factories have brought their base quotes for prime cattle closer into line with what they are actually paying farmers for stock.

In some cases, those quotes are up by over 10p/kg, leaving the best for U-3 grade steers and heifers of 596p/kg, up 6p/kg on last week.

Numbers of finished cattle remain extremely tight and despite local plants working on a short week due to July holidays, factory agents admit they have struggled to get enough animals through the doors to fulfil their requirements.

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There are reports of some factories ringing around farmers looking for cattle to kill on Friday and into early next week.

Despite agents being anxious to secure supplies, most seem to be reluctant to go much beyond a price of 600p/kg. They are also insistent there isn’t any great rise coming in the weeks ahead and no prospect of prices returning to the levels seen in the first half of 2025. Sales of beef remain slow and the market in Britain continues to be well supplied with cheap Australian and Brazilian product.

Farmers report deals on offer this week generally starting around 604p/kg for U-3 grading steers and heifers. However, anyone with a load of cattle to sell is in a strong position to negotiate on price and there are reports of butcher-type heifers being priced around the 610p/kg mark.

For those farmers able to sell in local marts, there is potentially more available. The limited supplies coming forward to auction have been met with high demand and prices that are probably the equivalent of 620p to 640p/kg in some cases.

Britain

Prices paid for steers in Britain last week saw their biggest lift since last autumn, with the overall average for U-3 animals up 6.7p/kg to 607.1p/kg. However, that increase was mainly driven by English factories, especially in the north of the country, with the Scottish market fairly subdued and still sitting just below 600p/kg.

In the Republic of Ireland, prices paid are also up on the back of very tight numbers, to sit around 20p/kg behind those in NI.

Cows

Quotes for fat cows in NI have generally increased by 6p/kg, leaving R grades at 510p/kg and 500p on offer for O+ grade animals. Deals generally start at prices 20p/kg beyond those quotes.

NI sheep: marts driving lamb trade

The mart trade for spring lambs was strong in Swatragh on Saturday and has pushed up further at Lisahally and in Ballymena this week. In the plants, the quotes are at 750p/kg.

In Swatragh an entry of 650 sheep met with a very steady trade for lambs and a super trade for fat ewes and rams. The entry of 390 lambs sold to a top of £233 for a pen of 17 lambs weighing 29.5kg, making 756p/kg.

Lambs at 24kg made £158 and £159/head and from 658p to 663p/kg.

Lambs at 21kg made from £142.50 to £146.50 and from 679p to 698p/kg.

Lighter lambs at 20kg sold from £140 to £146.50 and from 700p to 773p/kg.

A pen of 16 store lambs at 16kg made £118.50/head or 741p/kg.

In Ballymena, the trade was well improved on the pre-holiday sale, with the majority of lambs making over 700p/kg.

Heavy lambs at 27kg sold for £200 or 741p/kg, with 25kg at £188 or 752p/kg. Lambs at 24kg made up to £181 or 754p/kg, with 23kg selling for up to £174 or 757p/kg. And lambs at 21kg made £149 or 710p/kg.

Fat ewes

In Swatragh, the best fat ewes made £330, with a run from £190 to £298/head. And fat rams made from £176 to £220.