Base quotes for clean cattle have picked up at one plant, giving a best quote for a U-3 grade steer of 586p/kg, with 590p/kg for a U-3 grade heifer.

However, a number of factors have moved in the favour of farmers, with numbers very tight and demand picking up thanks to a combination of sustained barbecue weather in Britain and England’s participation in the World Cup.

Strong prices are being paid for heavy cattle in the marts and that has left factory agents with little option but to offer considerably more.

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Deals starting at over 600p/kg are freely available. However, in the marts, even assuming a generous kill-out figure, there are plenty of cattle making the equivalent of 620p to 640p/kg.

There are also reports that NI buyers are very active in Republic of Ireland marts this week and paying the equivalent of around 630p/kg to bring heavy cattle north for slaughter.

Prices paid in NI last week saw U3 steers up 1.6p/kg to average 598.3p/kg, with R3s up 3.3p at 594.4p/kg.

That R3 average is back to where it was in the middle of May and 8p/kg more than what was paid in the middle of June.

Heifers

U3 heifers were up 1.5p at 597.5p/kg, with R3s up 4.2p at 593.2p/kg.

The NI averages have moved closer to the prices paid in Britain, with U-3 grading steers averaged 600.4p/kg last week and U-3 heifers were at 610.2p/kg.

There is also a tightening gap to prices paid in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), where cattle are also in limited supply.

With 20c/kg added to base quotes, prices there are generally within 20p/kg of the NI trade.

Last week saw 236 ROI cattle imported into NI for direct slaughter, up 44 head on the previous week, but 93 head (mostly cows) going in the opposite direction – that is the highest weekly export figure so far in 2026.

Cows

The best quote for a fat cow remains at 494p/kg for an O+ animal. However, stronger demand for manufacturing beef has helped the trade, especially for well-fleshed suckler types.

Last week, the price paid for R3 cows averaged 533.5p/kg, up 7.4p/kg on the previous week, while R4s averaged 533.4p/kg, up 12.8p/kg. The average paid for O2 to O4 grades was also over 500p/kg.

NI sheep: easier trade for lamb

The trade for spring lambs has eased again.

In the plants, the quotes vary from a best of 750p to 725p/kg.

Marts are also down, although Markethill had a strong trade on Monday.

In Gortin, lambs sold to £170 paid for 26.7kg or 636p/kg, with £165 for 26.5kg or 622p/kg. Lambs made £154.50 for 24.5kg or 630p/kg, with £150 for 20.5kg or 731p/kg.

In Kilrea, 850 lambs sold from 690p to 742p/kg. The 742p was for 18kg at £133.50, with 721p for 19kg at £137. The best at 22kg made £158.50 or 721p/kg, with 21.5kg making £150.50 or 700p. Heavies at 31kg made £220 or 710p/kg.

In Markethill, trade was improved and a big show of 1,250 lambs sold from 690p to754p/kg. The 754p was for 23.2kg at £175, with 752p for 25kg at £188. Good-quality store lambs sold well, as £114 was paid for 12.1kg at 942p, with £129 for 15.5kg at 832p/kg. The main demand for stores ran from 702p to 822p/kg.

Saintfield sold 757 lambs from 680p 778p/kg, down by around 20p/kg. Heavier lambs at 24.5kg made £190.50, with 27kg at £182. Lambs at 23kg sold to £152. Light lambs at 20kg made to £147.

Fat ewes

In Gortin, best ewes ran from £166 to a top of £270.

In Kilrea, the top was £330, with others making £240 and £238. Markethill sold the best fleshed ewes from £186 to £240, while in Saintfield, the top was £265 with a run from £150.

In Rathfriland, the top was £230.