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Beef processors are working hard to keep a lid on the cattle trade and curtail any price increases this week.
Base prices are generally unchanged, with plants continuing to quote 354p/kg, while others have raised their base to 366p/kg for U-3 grading animals.
Most farmers report that 364p to 366p/kg is widely available as a starting price. Young bulls are moving off farm anywhere from 4p to 10p/kg over base price, with the higher premiums payable on animals meeting carcase weight limits.
Farmers offloading steers report deals of 370p to 374p/kg, with heifers securing 376p/kg. Cattle agents are working hard to cap the trade around these levels.
But there have been reports of farmers resisting such deals being rewarded, with wholesalers paying up to 380p/kg on good-quality butcher-type heifers.
Where farmers are finding difficulty negotiating on price, they are finding the live ring is providing a higher-priced alternative for finished animals
There are also reports of deals being made on transport, as well as applying no penalties on cattle that exceed carcase weight limits.
Such deals are being used to entice farmers to offload animals as alternatives to increasing prices and appear to be effective.
Where farmers are finding difficulty negotiating on price, they are finding the live ring is providing a higher-priced alternative for finished animals.
Last week, there were further increases on the official prices reported for finished cattle. Across all grades, steers and heifers averaged 358.2p/kg, up 2.5p/kg on the week.
The average price paid on U3 steers rose by 4.3p to 370.3p/kg, while U3 heifers jumped by 4.3p to 373.4p/kg. Young bulls rose by 2.3p to 365.1p/kg for U grade animals.
Cows
The cow trade remains strong and while processors have left base quotes unchanged on 270p/kg for O+3 and 280p/kg for R3 animals, prices are running ahead of these levels.
Farmers report good-quality suckler-bred cows are moving at 320p/kg, while official price reports put R3 animals on an average of 306.9p/kg last week.
Lamb trade
Supplies of fat lamb are increasing and more lambs are going through the marts as farmers look to beat the factory quotes.
Quotes in the plants are at 470p/kg, making a lamb worth £98.70 at the 21kg carcase limit.
In Kilrea, 500 lambs sold from 434p to 463p/kg, up by 11p/kg for heavier lambs.
In Saintfield, 604 lambs made 425p to 465p/kg, up by 5p/kg for heavier lots
Massereene sold 1,126 lambs from 440p to 470p/kg, up 5p/kg on last week. Heavy lambs at 26kg made £106. Lambs at 23kg made £100, with 21kg making £95. The top price per kilo was on a great pen at 20.5kg and made £96.50.
In Saintfield, 604 lambs made 425p to 465p/kg, up by 5p/kg for heavier lots. Top price was £104 for 26kg, with £103 paid for 25kg and £101 for 23kg. There was a big run from £95 to £100.
Rathfriland had a very big show of 1,200 lambs, which made from 412p to 460p/kg, with a sale average of 431p/kg.
Ewes
The best well-fleshed fat ewes are making super top prices. Omagh sold ewes to £136, Swatragh sold to £172 and Kilrea to £119. In Massereene, the top was £130 for Texel-cross ewes, Charollais and Suffolks sold to £107 and £97 respectively. Mules sold to £82 and Blackface to £62.
In Saintfield, the top was £120, with others making from £90 to £110/head. In Rathfriland, ewes topped £140 for 315 sold.
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