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Sales of beef remain sluggish and, as such, meat plants indicate that fewer cattle are required to fill orders at present, with one plant stating it has reduced throughput this week.
As such, there is little change within the beef trade, with plants leaving base quotes unchanged on 324p to 334p/kg for U-3 prime cattle.
Cattle agents report that supplies of cattle coming on to the market are plentiful and broadly in line with processing demand, keeping a floor under prices at present.
However, agents report that the mix of cattle coming forward is mainly animals with some level of dairy influence.
As such, deals are available on good-quality suckler-bred steers and heifers, which farmers indicate are running in line with previous weeks.
This keeps steers and young bulls moving off-farm at a base of 336p to 338p/kg. Regular finishers, or those offloading larger numbers, are securing 340p to 342p/kg for prime steers under 400kg carcase weight.
Heifers are moving from a starting price of 340p to 342p, rising to 344p to 346p/kg for farmers offering bigger numbers of in-spec animals. Higher prices are reserved for more specialist finishers supplying on a regular basis.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers increased by 0.9p to 334.47p/kg, with the average price paid on U3 steers up marginally by 0.3p to 341.4p/kg.
For heifers, the average paid on U3 grading animals increased by 2p/kg to 346.6p/kg with U3 bulls on 328.5p/kg.
Beef prices in Northern Ireland are on par with those in England, but are running below official prices reported in Scotland. Slaughter cattle imported from south of the border eased by 56 head to 293, with 74 mostly cull cows moving in the opposite direction.
Cows
Quotes on fat cows are holding on 260p/kg for R3 animals, with O+3 animals on 250p and official price reports putting R grade cows on 279.8p/kg last week.
Hogget trade
The hogget trade is steady this week, with quotes at the factories unchanged on 440p/kg, making a hogget worth £96.80 at the 22kg deadweight limit.
The trade in the marts is firm, with prices on offer holding steady or edging upwards slightly.
In Kilrea, 450 hoggets sold from 410p to 469p/kg, up by 30p/kg on last week.
Massereene had a show of 726 hoggets which sold from 410p to 454p/kg, no change on last week.
In Saintfield, 620 hoggets made from 400p to 440p/kg, which was also unchanged on last week.
Rathfriland had a show of 557 hoggets selling from 395p to 444p/kg, with a sale average of 413p/kg, up 4p on last week. The top price for heavyweights was £109, with a big run of hoggets above £100. Lighter hoggets made from £90 to £95/head.
Ewes
Buying demand for fat ewes remains robust, with prices at the top of the market rising. The top in Omagh was £116 and in Swatragh, ewes made £137 for 220 head sold. In Massereene, the top was £122, while in Kilrea, ewes made £109 and in Saintfield, top price was £120. In Rathfriland, a pen of Charollais ewes made £149 and a big show of 232 head averaged £92.50/head.
Ballymena sold ewes with twin lambs at foot from £180 to £210. The best springing ewes sold from £120 to £155 with store lambs ranging from £79 to £91.50/head. In Rathfriland, aged ewes with twin lambs sold to £235.
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