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The Easter holiday period means meat plants are working on a shorter kill week, so the throughput of cattle has been easier to manage.
Base quotes are unchanged with plants holding at 330p to 334p/kg on U-3 grading steers, with a top quote of 336p/kg for prime heifers.
Farmers with cattle to sell indicate that plants are generally opening on 336p/kg on prime cattle.
However, farmers also report that the lower end of the base quotes is being used to price plainer cattle, which are then discounted accordingly due to lower conformation.
Price deals on offer are similar to the last few weeks, with cattle agents rewarding finishers selling bigger numbers on a regular supply arrangement.
Deals of 342p to 346p/kg for in-spec heifers have been offered, with some reports of 348p to 350p/kg on offer at the top end of the market.
In-spec steers continue to move at 338p to 340p/kg with more on offer for specialist finishers.
Young, suckler-bred bulls meeting market specifications on carcase weight, conformation and age are moving at prices similar to steers, although some improved deals are on offer for larger numbers.
Plainer cattle are a harder sell, with limited room to negotiate on price, as sales of manufacturing beef remains slow.
Cattle agents have hinted that supplies of prime cattle are tightening, and heifers in particular are becoming harder to source.
However, the outlook on beef prices is that any potential price increase with be gradual, as processors have considerable quantities of beef in cold storage to come back on to the market.
Last week, the average price paid for cattle was 333.25p/kg. The average price paid for U3 steers was steady at 338.7p/kg with U3 heifers at 344.8p/kg.
Cows
There is more bite in the cow trade, with base quotes at 255p/kg for R3 animals, although deals of 270p/kg and higher are common.
Hogget & lamb trade
The hogget trade after Easter has eased slightly and prices are marginally lower. Quotes are on 445p/kg making a hogget worth £97.90 at the 22kg weight limit.
Quotes for spring lamb are on 485p/kg, worth £101.85 at the 21kg weight limit.
However, the plants are looking for numbers and facing strong competition from agents for southern plants, so deals should be available.
With Easter week, the marts on Tuesday had smaller shows.
In Rathfriland, 52 hoggets sold from 318p to 400p/kg, averaging 369p/kg and down 31p/kg on last week.
Top price was £104 for heavy lots at 30kg with £94 paid for 23kg and 24kg lots.
There were 91 spring lambs making from 416p to 464p/kg, with an average of 444p/kg, down by 18p/kg on last week.
Top price was £102 paid on five occasions for lambs at 22kg with lighter lambs making from £95 to £100.
In Lisahally on Tuesday, there was a small show. Top quality hoggets at 29kg made £104. Spring lambs made £107 paid for 23kg lots.
Pre-Easter, in Swatragh sold 425 hoggets from 329p to 488p/kg and 50 spring lambs sold to a top of £104.50.
Ewes
The fat ewe trade is still holding firm with good top prices on offer.
Rathfriland sold 143 ewes to a top price of £100, with a run from £94 to £99 each.
In Swatragh, 210 ewes sold to a top of £142.
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