The beef trade continues on a firm footing, with factory agents eager for stock. A similar trend is developing south of the border, with prices at Irish factories edging upwards as numbers tighten.
Across the water, prime cattle are also in limited supply. Abattoirs in Britain are responding by slowly raising prices towards 480p/kg for U grading steers and heifers, although heifers in Scotland are trading above this price.
In contrast, local factories have left base quotes unchanged at 446p/kg for U-3 grading animals, although at the lower end of the market base quotes have improved to 440p/kg.
However, prices are running well above quotes and most reports indicate deals are broadly similar to last week, with steers and heifers moving freely between 462p and 464p/kg.
Where farmers can offer a steady supply of in-spec cattle over the coming weeks, prices are pushing on to 466p/kg.
In the live ring, competition for short-keep and slaughter-fit cattle is strong with factory agents becoming more active.
Prices are on an upward curve, with 280p to 290p/kg freely available for good-quality steers and heifers, which convert to deadweight prices over 480p/kg at 58% kill-out.
Where farmers are struggling to negotiate for higher prices with factory agents, serious consideration should be given to selling through the live ring, provided herds are not under movement restriction.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers across all grades increased by 1.5p to 447.7p/kg.
On U3 grading animals, there was contrasting fortunes, as steers increased by 0.5p/kg to average 462.8p/kg, whereas heifers at the same grade eased by 0.5p/kg to the same price.
Cows
There is slightly more life in the cow trade, as demand for manufacturing beef improves.
Quotes for R3 cows are unchanged at 346p/kg, but deals are running upwards from 360p/kg for good-quality suckler types.
NI sheep: quotes ease but prices holding firm
Improved weather has seen farmers busy with fieldwork this week and marts report fewer lambs on offer midweek, boosting prices by 5p to 10p/kg.
Factories pulled quotes to 510p/kg, but with a strong live ring, plants had to raise quotes back to 515p/kg to source stock, making lambs worth £108 at the 21kg weight limit.
Kilrea sold 730 lambs from 467p to 578p/kg. Top-quality lambs at 22.5kg made £130, with 21.5kg making £110 to £118.
Gortin sold to £120 for 25kg to 30kg lots, with £116 for 26kg and a big run from £106 to £115.50 for 19kg to 26kg.
Markethill sold 840 lambs from 460p to 508p/kg, up 10p/kg on last week. Lambs at 24kg made £115, 24.6kg to £117.50 and 25.8kg to £120. Middleweights were a good trade, with 22.5kg at £114, 21.2kg at £107 and 23kg to £113.50.
Store lambs at 16kg made £94, 14.4kg to £83, 18.2kg to £92, with 17kg at £85.50.
In Saintfield, 790 lambs made 465p to 505p/kg, up 5p/kg on last week. Heavy Texels at 29kg and 30kg sold from £120 to £130. Lambs at 23kg sold from £110 to £112, with 22kg selling to £108.
In Ballymena, 24kg sold to £115, with several pens at £114. Lambs at 22.5kg made £109, with 21.5kg to £100.
In the store ring, lambs saw prices ranging from £90 to £98 for good-quality short- to medium-keep lots.
Ewes
The trade in fat ewes has improved, with good prices paid for well-fleshed lots. In Kilrea, top price was £150. In Gortin, ewes sold to £222, with a big run from £100 to £170. Markethill topped £178, with the main run from £100 to £146. In Saintfield, top was £205, with a run from £122 to £185.
Read more
Beef trade on the up as quotes improve
Sheep price update: trade static at base of €6/kg to €6.10/kg
The beef trade continues on a firm footing, with factory agents eager for stock. A similar trend is developing south of the border, with prices at Irish factories edging upwards as numbers tighten.
Across the water, prime cattle are also in limited supply. Abattoirs in Britain are responding by slowly raising prices towards 480p/kg for U grading steers and heifers, although heifers in Scotland are trading above this price.
In contrast, local factories have left base quotes unchanged at 446p/kg for U-3 grading animals, although at the lower end of the market base quotes have improved to 440p/kg.
However, prices are running well above quotes and most reports indicate deals are broadly similar to last week, with steers and heifers moving freely between 462p and 464p/kg.
Where farmers can offer a steady supply of in-spec cattle over the coming weeks, prices are pushing on to 466p/kg.
In the live ring, competition for short-keep and slaughter-fit cattle is strong with factory agents becoming more active.
Prices are on an upward curve, with 280p to 290p/kg freely available for good-quality steers and heifers, which convert to deadweight prices over 480p/kg at 58% kill-out.
Where farmers are struggling to negotiate for higher prices with factory agents, serious consideration should be given to selling through the live ring, provided herds are not under movement restriction.
Last week, the average price paid on steers and heifers across all grades increased by 1.5p to 447.7p/kg.
On U3 grading animals, there was contrasting fortunes, as steers increased by 0.5p/kg to average 462.8p/kg, whereas heifers at the same grade eased by 0.5p/kg to the same price.
Cows
There is slightly more life in the cow trade, as demand for manufacturing beef improves.
Quotes for R3 cows are unchanged at 346p/kg, but deals are running upwards from 360p/kg for good-quality suckler types.
NI sheep: quotes ease but prices holding firm
Improved weather has seen farmers busy with fieldwork this week and marts report fewer lambs on offer midweek, boosting prices by 5p to 10p/kg.
Factories pulled quotes to 510p/kg, but with a strong live ring, plants had to raise quotes back to 515p/kg to source stock, making lambs worth £108 at the 21kg weight limit.
Kilrea sold 730 lambs from 467p to 578p/kg. Top-quality lambs at 22.5kg made £130, with 21.5kg making £110 to £118.
Gortin sold to £120 for 25kg to 30kg lots, with £116 for 26kg and a big run from £106 to £115.50 for 19kg to 26kg.
Markethill sold 840 lambs from 460p to 508p/kg, up 10p/kg on last week. Lambs at 24kg made £115, 24.6kg to £117.50 and 25.8kg to £120. Middleweights were a good trade, with 22.5kg at £114, 21.2kg at £107 and 23kg to £113.50.
Store lambs at 16kg made £94, 14.4kg to £83, 18.2kg to £92, with 17kg at £85.50.
In Saintfield, 790 lambs made 465p to 505p/kg, up 5p/kg on last week. Heavy Texels at 29kg and 30kg sold from £120 to £130. Lambs at 23kg sold from £110 to £112, with 22kg selling to £108.
In Ballymena, 24kg sold to £115, with several pens at £114. Lambs at 22.5kg made £109, with 21.5kg to £100.
In the store ring, lambs saw prices ranging from £90 to £98 for good-quality short- to medium-keep lots.
Ewes
The trade in fat ewes has improved, with good prices paid for well-fleshed lots. In Kilrea, top price was £150. In Gortin, ewes sold to £222, with a big run from £100 to £170. Markethill topped £178, with the main run from £100 to £146. In Saintfield, top was £205, with a run from £122 to £185.
Read more
Beef trade on the up as quotes improve
Sheep price update: trade static at base of €6/kg to €6.10/kg
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