Factories are trying hard to tighten their grip on the beef trade, with some attempts to pull quotes and generally talking the trade down.
Official base quotes range from 444p to 454p/kg for U-3 grading animals, although prices being paid remain well above quotes.
Factory agents indicate there are more cattle coming on to the market this week, making it easier to source numbers.
This has somewhat dampened their appetite for stock and farmers state it is harder to negotiate on price.
Where farmers can deliver a steady supply of cattle, most deals appear to be on par with last week. In contrast, farmers with limited numbers are seeing 2p to 4p/kg coming off.
Most reports indicate steers continue to move freely at 470p/kg, with heifers faring 2p/kg better.
Where bigger numbers can be offered, deals run to 476p/kg with higher prices on offer for butcher-type heifers.
Young bulls are making 464p to 470p/kg, with the higher prices on offer for animals meeting certain carcase weights and conformation.
Where farmers are finding it harder to negotiate on price and not under movement restrictions, strong consideration should be given to offloading animals through the live ring.
Prices for U grading animals remain above 280p/kg, with 300p/kg being paid with increasingly regularity for top-quality cattle likely to meet market spec for age and carcase weight.
Beef prices in Britain remain well ahead of local plants, with U grading animals making close to 500p/kg as the availability of prime cattle remains extremely tight.
Last week, the average price paid on NI steers and heifers increased by 1.4p to 458.7p/kg, with U3 steers up 0.5p to 470.9p/kg. Heifers at the same grade increased by 1.8p to 472.4p/kg.
Cows
Quotes for cull cows are steady at 352p/kg for R3 animals, with deals starting around 360p/kg. Higher prices depend on conformation and the number on offer.
NI sheep: quotes unchanged but deals available
Some marts saw strong numbers of lambs this week, but prices remain relatively steady, helping to keep factory quotes steady at 515p/kg.
However, there are deals ranging from 520p to 540p/kg, depending on numbers, and some plants are paying to 21.5kg deadweight.
Kilrea had 1,000 lambs sell from 470p to 505p/kg, down 4p/kg on last week. Lambs at 21.5kg made £108.50, 21kg at £105.50 and 23.5kg made £117.
In Gortin, the trade was similar to last week. Heavy lambs made £121 for 27kg and £113.50 for 26kg, 25kg to £112.50, with £100 to £111.50 for 21kg to 25kg.
Markethill sold a big show of 1,340 lambs from 450p to 483p/kg, down 10p/kg on last week. Heavy lambs made £114 for 24.2kg, with £112 to £113 for 24kg to 25.1kg.
Quality middleweights saw 22.8kg make £110, 23kg at £108 and 22kg at £106. Store lambs sold to 616p/kg for 14.7kg at £90.50. Others made £91 and £92.
In Saintfield, 900 lambs sold from 460p to 500p/kg, down 5p/kg on last week. The top price saw 30kg making £117, 26kg at £116 and 24kg at £112. A big run of lambs from 24kg to 27kg made £113 to £115, 23kg to £110 and 21kg to £102.
Ewes
The trade for fat ewes is steady, with Kilrea topping £222. In Gortin, ewes made £168 with a big run from £96 to £150. At Markethill, ewes sold from £90 to a top of £138. In Saintfield, the top was £199 for Texels, with a big run from £110 to £189.
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