The beef trade remains sluggish, with farmers reporting fewer price deals on offer as the availability of finished cattle increases.

With processors closing for the July holiday period this week, fewer killing days means cattle agents have been under less pressure to source numbers to fill orders.

Most agents report they had this week’s kill booked by the end of last week and indications are that plants are more or less full for the week ahead.

As a result, finishers are struggling to negotiate on price and fewer deals are being offered above base quotes.

Processors have left base quotes unchanged, ranging from 350p to 358p/kg on U3 grading cattle. Farmers with limited numbers for sale report young bulls and steers are being bought at 354p to 356p/kg, with heifers moving at 358p/kg.

While prices of 360p to 362p/kg are on offer, they are limited to finishers with bigger numbers to offer.

Deals beyond this level appear to be reserved for specialist finishers.

Processors also report that while the number of grass-finished cattle remains low, they have increased slightly due to grazing shortages. The bulk of the beef kill is still coming from housed cattle.

The prime cattle kill totalled 6,295 head last week, an increase of 300 head and the highest kill since mid-May. The cow kill increased by 400 head to 2,212, which was the highest kill since mid-April.

The average price paid on steers and heifers was 356.65p/kg, with U3 steers averaging 365.6p/kg, while U3 heifers averaged 368.8p/kg. The average price paid on R3 grading cows was 303.8p/kg.

Cows

Quotes for cull cows are typically 270p/kg for O+3 grading animals, with R3 cows on 280p to 290p/kg.

Deals of 10p to 20p/kg above base are being offered on good-quality beef cows.

Lamb trade

With most northern marts closing this week due to the July holidays, there was limited activity in the sheep trade.

Without the competition of the live trade for lambs and fat ewes, meat processors have seen the availability of supplies increasing.

Prices have been cut by as much as 40p/kg this week to leave base quotes on 400p to 410p/kg, making a 21kg carcase worth £86.10.

Marts are set to re-open from Monday and lower factory quotes are expected to impact on the trade. Mart managers are also expecting increased numbers for sale after this week’s closures, which again will impact on prices.

There were some sales of fat ewes earlier this week and the trade has seen prices slipping.

Swatragh sold 260 head to a top of £97. In Massereene, the top price was £116 for 300 sold and in Newtownstewart, 56 ewes sold to £90.