With a shorter working week at the local factories, the quotes for clean cattle are steady or have eased back slightly in some cases.
Those starting quotes are generally in the range of 650p to 664p/kg for U-3 steers and heifers.
However, the market continues to pay well ahead of these quotes, with little change in what was on offer last week when U-3 grading prime cattle were generally priced somewhere in the low to mid-680p/kg range.
The trade in NI is not being helped by some downward momentum in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), where base quotes are back by as much as 20 to 30c/kg.
That leaves prices paid for U3 grade cattle at the equivalent of around 660p/kg.
In recent weeks, ROI beef price had come within 10p/kg of NI prices across many of the top beef grades.
In Britain, the upward momentum in the beef trade has slowed, although the prices paid last week were still up by between 4 and 6p/kg in most cases.
Across Britain, U-3 grading steers averaged 715.5p/kg, with the same heifers at 719.2p/kg.
The prices paid continue to be highest in Scotland, with U-3 steers at 723.4p/kg and the same grading heifers crossing the 730p/kg mark for the first time. Those prices are up over 200p/kg on the same week in 2024.
Mart trade
The local mart trade continues to offer a viable alternative outlet for many NI farmers.
In Markethill, heavy bullocks sold to 406p/kg for 678kg at £2,750 followed by 401p/kg for 636kg at £2,550 and £394p/kg for 602kg at £2,370. The main demand ran from 340 to 378p/kg.
Cows
The cow trade in Markethill was also very strong, with a 690kg cow making £2,590 or 373p/kg and a 674kg animal making £2,480 or 368p/kg. Friesian cows reached £2,030 for 736kg or 276p/kg, with £1,720 for 624kg or 274p/kg.
Fat cow quotes in the plants are unchanged at a best of 534p for an O+ cow and to 544p for an R grade. However, top grading cows continue to be paid around the 580p/kg mark.
Hogget trade eases back in NI
The plants have edged their quotes down this week to 680p/kg, making a hogget worth £156.40 at the 23kg limit.
The reduction is in response to easier prices bid in the marts amid big shows of heavy hoggets.
Quotes for Spring lamb have held at 730p to 21kg or £153.30 a head at the limit.
In Gortin, a keen trade had heavy hoggets from 26kg to 30kg selling from £137 to £176 with 23kg making £142.50.
Spring lambs in Kilrea made 722p/kg for 23kg at £166 with 708p for 24kg at £170. There was a run from 670p to 705p/kg and from £144 to £165.
In Saintfield, Charolais Spring lambs at 24kg made £162 with Suffolks at 27kg making £160. Texels at 22kg made £158 with 22kg Suffolks at £157.
Beltex and Texel hoggets at 30kg made £180 and £173 respectively. Other heavies from 27kg to 32kg made from £150 to £169.
In Ballymena, the best Spring lambs sold from 800p to 868p, the latter for 20kg at £173.50. Good hoggets at 24.5kg made £166 or 678p/kg with 25kg at £171.50 or 686p/kg.
Fat ewes
The very strong trade for fat ewes continues.
In Gortin, the top price was £380 and in Kilrea, ewes sold to £254 a head.
In Saintfield a strong trade saw a top of £295 for Texels with a run from £200 to £284 a head.
With a shorter working week at the local factories, the quotes for clean cattle are steady or have eased back slightly in some cases.
Those starting quotes are generally in the range of 650p to 664p/kg for U-3 steers and heifers.
However, the market continues to pay well ahead of these quotes, with little change in what was on offer last week when U-3 grading prime cattle were generally priced somewhere in the low to mid-680p/kg range.
The trade in NI is not being helped by some downward momentum in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), where base quotes are back by as much as 20 to 30c/kg.
That leaves prices paid for U3 grade cattle at the equivalent of around 660p/kg.
In recent weeks, ROI beef price had come within 10p/kg of NI prices across many of the top beef grades.
In Britain, the upward momentum in the beef trade has slowed, although the prices paid last week were still up by between 4 and 6p/kg in most cases.
Across Britain, U-3 grading steers averaged 715.5p/kg, with the same heifers at 719.2p/kg.
The prices paid continue to be highest in Scotland, with U-3 steers at 723.4p/kg and the same grading heifers crossing the 730p/kg mark for the first time. Those prices are up over 200p/kg on the same week in 2024.
Mart trade
The local mart trade continues to offer a viable alternative outlet for many NI farmers.
In Markethill, heavy bullocks sold to 406p/kg for 678kg at £2,750 followed by 401p/kg for 636kg at £2,550 and £394p/kg for 602kg at £2,370. The main demand ran from 340 to 378p/kg.
Cows
The cow trade in Markethill was also very strong, with a 690kg cow making £2,590 or 373p/kg and a 674kg animal making £2,480 or 368p/kg. Friesian cows reached £2,030 for 736kg or 276p/kg, with £1,720 for 624kg or 274p/kg.
Fat cow quotes in the plants are unchanged at a best of 534p for an O+ cow and to 544p for an R grade. However, top grading cows continue to be paid around the 580p/kg mark.
Hogget trade eases back in NI
The plants have edged their quotes down this week to 680p/kg, making a hogget worth £156.40 at the 23kg limit.
The reduction is in response to easier prices bid in the marts amid big shows of heavy hoggets.
Quotes for Spring lamb have held at 730p to 21kg or £153.30 a head at the limit.
In Gortin, a keen trade had heavy hoggets from 26kg to 30kg selling from £137 to £176 with 23kg making £142.50.
Spring lambs in Kilrea made 722p/kg for 23kg at £166 with 708p for 24kg at £170. There was a run from 670p to 705p/kg and from £144 to £165.
In Saintfield, Charolais Spring lambs at 24kg made £162 with Suffolks at 27kg making £160. Texels at 22kg made £158 with 22kg Suffolks at £157.
Beltex and Texel hoggets at 30kg made £180 and £173 respectively. Other heavies from 27kg to 32kg made from £150 to £169.
In Ballymena, the best Spring lambs sold from 800p to 868p, the latter for 20kg at £173.50. Good hoggets at 24.5kg made £166 or 678p/kg with 25kg at £171.50 or 686p/kg.
Fat ewes
The very strong trade for fat ewes continues.
In Gortin, the top price was £380 and in Kilrea, ewes sold to £254 a head.
In Saintfield a strong trade saw a top of £295 for Texels with a run from £200 to £284 a head.
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