Quotes for clean cattle at the plants are steady this week, giving a best for U3 grade steers and heifers of 590p/kg.

Actual deals on offer remain around the 596p to 600p/kg mark, with slightly more going for those with numbers to sell and for butcher-type heifers.

For those with the option of going to the mart, there are prices being paid for some select lots which remain well ahead of the deals on offer from major processors.

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Last week, the prices paid were down for the third week in a row, although the drops were less severe than earlier in August.

U3 steers averaged 602.5p/kg, down 3.6p, with R3s at 599.5p/kg, down 2.2p/kg.

However, U3 heifers were up 1.8p/kg at 606.4p/kg, while R3s dropped 1p to average 600.1p/kg.

Across all steers and heifers, prices paid averaged 594.6p/kg, which is down 1.1p on the previous week.

The market is also fairly steady in Britain, with a gap of around 15p/kg opening up to NI prices for U and R grades.

That has been mainly driven on by the trade in Scotland, which is now around 14p/kg ahead of England, having sat behind English prices for much of May, June and July.

In the Republic of Ireland, stronger sellers have been able to secure prices similar to last week. In sterling terms, the prices paid remain about 40p/kg behind those in NI.

Slaughtering

DAERA slaughter figures show that more cattle are starting to come to market in NI, with 8,792 cattle processed last week, to include 6,258 prime cattle and 2,263 cows.

The cow kill was the biggest since January 2026, with farmers looking to move on culls due to tight grass supplies.

With more local cattle available, only 204 cattle were imported from the Republic of Ireland for direct slaughter last week, with just 26 head sent in the opposite direction.

Cows

Quotes for fat cows are steady, with a best of 510p for an R grade and to 500p for an O+ cow.

However, with more cows coming forward, factory agents are reluctant to do deals above quotes, leaving prices being paid for R grades around the 520p/kg mark.

Last week, the price paid for R3 cows dropped 7.6p to 526.9p/kg.

O3 grade cows were down 1.8p at 507.1p/kg, with P2 down 4.5p to average 470p/kg.

Steady NI lamb quotes

The mart trade for fat lamb is steady this week, although Kilrea had a sharper sale.

Quotes at the plants are no change at 670p and 660p/kg. At 670p for 21kg, a lamb is worth £140.70.

In Gortin, heavy lambs at 28kg made 571p/kg or £160, with 27kg at 574p or £158.

Middle weights at 24kg sold for 604p or £150, while lighter lambs at 22kg made 607p or £138, with 21kg at 629p or £134.

In Kilrea, stores made the top prices per kg. Lambs at 18kg and 17kg sold for 662p or £122.50 and £109.50 respectively. The best lambs at 21kg made 629p or £132, with 22kg at 623p or £137/head. Lambs at 24kg made 617p or £148.

Good-quality heavy lots in Markethill sold to 600p/kg for 28kg at £168, with 592p for 24kg at £142. Quality mid-weights made a top of 711p/kg for 20.4kg at £145.

Store lambs sold to 809p/kg paid for 15.7kg at £127.

In Ballymena, lambs at 25kg sold to £147 or 588p, with 24kg to £143 or 596p/kg. Lambs at 22kg made £135 or 614p, with 21kg at £131 or 619p/kg. Store lambs at 18.5kg sold to £127 or 686p, with 16.5kg at £95 or 576p/kg.

Fat ewes

The trade in fat ewes is slightly easier.

In Gortin, the top fat ewes made £236, with a run from £180 to £224/head.

In Markethill, the best ewes made from £170 to £242. Second quality made from £120 to £168.

In Saintfield, the top was £200 and in Rathfriland, it was £230.