Base quotes on prime cattle continue to edge upwards, with 456p/kg now on offer for U-3 grading animals.

However, some plants are stubbornly holding at an official base of 446p/kg, almost 25p/kg below the actual starting prices on offer at the same factories for in-spec animals.

Farmers indicate 470p/kg is freely available on steers and heifers and where bigger numbers can be offered, deals are running from 474p up to a top price of 480p/kg.

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Higher prices are available but reserved for specialist finishers.

There are mixed reports on young bulls. Some plants are trying to talk the trade down in an effort to buy bulls at prices between 460p and 462p/kg.

Other factories tell a very different tale and are actively looking for stock. To secure numbers, deals of 470p/kg are available for bulls meeting market specification on weight, conformation and age.

While the beef trade is generally on a positive footing, prices in Britain continue to strengthen and a price gap of 20p to 30p/kg has opened in favour of farmers in England and Scotland.

Reports indicate U grading steers and heifers are commanding prices of 500p to 505p/kg in Scotland, meaning a 400kg steer carcase is worth £120 more than the equivalent animal processed in NI.

In England, U grading steers and heifers are running between 490p and 498p/kg, with the upper end of the outlined prices on offer at factories in the northern half of the country. Young bulls are making over 480p/kg.

Last week, prices for NI steers and heifers across all grades rose by 1.85p/kg to average 457.38p/kg, with U3 steers up 0.7p to 470.4p/kg. Heifers at the same grade jumped 3.3p/kg to average 470.6p/kg.

Cows

Base quotes are steady on cull cows, with R3 animals on 352p/kg.

While local plants are digging in at deals between 360p to 370p/kg, Scottish plants are paying above 400p/kg for R3 animals, with deals around 385p/kg on offer in England.

NI sheep: price deals available for fat lambs

Processors are sticking at official base quotes of 515p/kg, but 525p to 530p/kg is widely available for slaughter-fit lambs to keep pace with the live ring.

On Monday, Kilrea sold a big show of 1,100 lambs from 474p to 509p/kg, up 10p to 24p/kg. Lambs at 21.5kg made £109.50, with £115 for 23.5kg.

In Gortin, prices were little changed on last week. Heavy lambs made £124 for 33kg, £119 for 29kg, with 24kg to 25kg making £112 to £114.50.

A big run made £100 to £110 for 20kg to 23kg.

Markethill sold a big show of 1,700 lambs from 460p to 500p/kg, up 11p/kg for lighter lots.

The best price for heavy lambs was £118, with a big run from £112 to £117 for 24kg to 25.1kg.

Quality middleweights made from 460p to 500p/kg, with 22kg at £110. Other lambs at 22.9kg made £108, with 22.4kg at £108.

Light store lambs sold from £63 to £66. Stronger stores reached 549p/kg for 17.2kg at £94.50, with 17.3kg at £92 and 17.5kg at £93. Others made £88.50 to £90.

The trade in Saintfield saw 1,255 lambs on offer. Top price was for Texels at 23kg making £141, with 30kg at £131. A big run of lambs from 24kg to 26kg made £110 to £119. Lambs at 23kg sold to £110 with 21kg at £100.

Store lambs in Ballymena were a firm trade, making £90 to £105. Texel and Suffolk ewe lambs hit a high of £132.

Ewes

The trade for fat ewes is firmer this week. In Kilrea, top price was £236. In Gortin, ewes sold to £158 with a big run from £94 to £142. At Markethill, ewes sold from £100 to a top of £145. In Saintfield, top was £196, with a big run from £120 to £188.