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With all processors now operating under normal kill schedules after the holiday period, the beef trade is steady. Most plants have left base prices unchanged, with the full range of quotes from 336p to 344p/kg for U-3 grading animals.
Most farmers report that plants are generally working at the upper end of the quoted prices, especially where in-spec animals are on offer.
Cattle agents indicate that there is still plenty of cattle on offer.
Therefore, a steady beef trade should be viewed as a positive, given that sales of beef tend to be slow in January.
Plants are fully booked for the remainder of this week and making good progress with securing numbers for next week.
However, the delays experienced in getting cattle processed during late 2018 appear to be easing, which is helping to steady the trade.
Farmers with limited numbers are reporting prices of 346p to 348p/kg on prime steers, with a further 2p to 4p/kg on offer for more regular sellers.
Prime heifers are more limited in availability and, as such, there is greater scope to negotiate on price.
However, securing an improved price is mainly dependent on having a good supply of butcher-type heifers to offload.
Deals on prime heifers are typically 350p to 354p/kg at the upper end of the market.
The bulk of cattle being processed are coming from larger specialist finishers and this is reflected in weekly price reports.
Last week, the average price paid across all grades of steers and heifers averaged 343.71p/kg.
The average price paid on U3 grading steers was 352.5p/kg, with U3 grading heifers averaging 356.5p/kg.
Average prices on R grades was 349.2p/kg and 350.1p/kg respectively.
Cows
Cull cows remain a difficult market, with weak processing demand.
Base quotes in O+3 grading animals are holding steady at 230p to 236p/kg, with R3 grading animals moving from a base of 246p/kg.
Hogget trade
The hogget trade has strengthened this week, with plants adding 5p/kg and more on to quotes, taking them to 425p/kg.
This makes a hogget worth £93.50 at the 22kg carcase limit.
However, there are deals on offer at 430p/kg, or £94.60/head.
In the marts, southern buyers were prominent and are armed with a strong euro and in some cases paying to 23kg deadweight. As a result, prices are very firm.
Kilrea sold 350 hoggets making from 390p to 436p/kg, little changed on last week.
Massereene sold 902 hoggets from 380p to 421p/kg, up by 10p to 19p/kg on last week.
Saintfield sold 714 head making from 375p to 434p/kg and, in Rathfriland, 500 hoggets sold from 350p to 448p/kg and averaged 391p/kg, with £98 and £97 paid for 28kg lots and £92 paid for 23kg.
Store hoggets are very dear, with lighter lots making from 430p to 448p/kg.
In Rathfriland, 18kg lots made £81, 19.5kg made £83 and 16kg made £68.50.
Ewes
The new year trade in fat ewes has started well, with good well-fleshed ewes making big prices.
The top price in Newtownstewart was £92 and, in Omagh, it was £112 for 123 sold.
Swatragh sold 200 head to £99. The top in Massereene was £107. In Kilrea, ewes sold to £100 and, in Saintfield, to £95. Rathfriland sold 86 ewes to £92/head.
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