Factory buyers report that there are still plenty of cattle on offer and their kill books are well filled for up to two weeks ahead.

As a result, quotes have slipped back at most of the plants.

The best quote is 318p/kg for clean steers and heifers, with the other plants at 316p/kg.

Over the past four weeks, the total weekly kill has consistently been over 9,000 head, well ahead of the average for 2015 to date of 7,867.

Last week, 9,387 cattle were slaughtered, which included another large kill of 2,350 cows.

The strong kills are ahead of expectations and probably a reflection of the fact that a lot of prime cattle were housed in August.

Until there is a significant reduction in numbers, there is little prospect of any improvements in price.

With plenty of cattle available locally, the number of cattle coming in from the south has fallen back to 500 head last week, down from the 700 to 800 head per week for the past three months.

Trade in the opposite direction was 333 head, similar to the numbers over the last few weeks.

Trade across to Britain was 391 head, which is some 50 to 60 head lower than in recent weeks.

Virtually unchanged

Prices paid last week were up slightly for steers and down slightly for heifers, leaving the overall steer and heifer average virtually unchanged at 314.5p/kg.

Top grading U3 heifers averaged 328p/kg with U3 steers at 322p/kg. There are reports that some large finishers are struggling to achieve the significant deals above quotes that were available in previous years.

There are still plenty of fat cows on offer and quotes for cows are unchanged, with the best quote at 250p/kg for an R grade and 245p/kg for an O+ grade. Prices paid for R3 and R4 grades averaged 256p/kg last week.

Lamb trade

Quotes for lambs at the plants have firmed this week by 5p/kg and are at 325p for up to 22kg. However, 330p/kg could be available at a push. The 325p quote values a lamb at £71.50 at the 22kg limit.

In the marts, prices were up on Monday at Kilrea and Massereene where there were smaller shows, but were edging back on Tuesday in Saintfield and Wednesday in Massereene where there were more lambs on offer.

In Kilrea, a show of 490 lambs sold from 290p to 331p, up 6p to 9p/kg.

Massereene sold 864 head from 295p to 315p, up by 5p for the main weight range.

In Saintfield, 904 lambs sold from 275p to 342p, down 7p for heavier lambs.

In Ballymena, Wednesday, the trade was slightly easier than last week, back around £2/head. £71 was paid for 25kg and 25.5kg. £70 was paid for 24kg to 26kg, including very good Texel crosses (£70 for 24kg). A pen of good crossbreds made £68 for 24kg.

The prices for fat ewes were steady in the marts. Top prices were £88 in Newtownstewart, £85 in Omagh, £70 in Kilrea for a small show of 20 head, £88 in Massereene for a show of 109 head and £90 in Saintfield for a show of 111 head.