Prices on offer for fat cattle in the meat plants are easing again this week, with base quotes for U-3 grades down another 10p/kg to 622p and 624p for clean steers and 624p and 626p for clean heifers.

More is available, with reports from farmers suggesting factory agents are trying to buy cattle at around the 640p/kg mark.

Regular suppliers are starting out closer to 650p/kg.

While numbers are expected to tighten very soon, agents continue to talk the trade down for next week, blaming sluggish retail beef sales after higher prices were passed on to consumers.

However, last week, despite quoting base prices at 630p to 634p/kg, the actual price paid for U3 steers was 663.1p/kg, with the same grade of heifer at 659.1p/kg.

Across all steers, the average was 650.7p, with heifers at 649.7p/kg.

Those averages are back around 10p/kg on what was paid the previous week and since the start of May, steers in NI are generally down by around 28p/kg, with heifers back by closer to 30p/kg. For a 350kg heifer, it is a drop of £105/head.

However, the reduction in prices paid has been more severe in Britain.

At the start of May, U and R grading steers and heifers were averaging over 700p/kg. Those prices paid are down by around 50p/kg since then, leaving average prices across Britain only marginally ahead of NI.

There has also been downward pressure in the Republic of Ireland, although not to the extent seen in Britain and NI.

Last week, prices paid were back by around 2p/kg, leaving the trade generally around 20p/kg behind NI.

With less of a differential and numbers available locally, ROI imports for direct slaughter in NI fell to only 165 head last week, the lowest weekly total since the start of the year. A total of 65 head were sent in the opposite direction.

Cows

Fat cow quotes at the plants are generally unchanged this week, with a best of 534p for an O+ cow.

Last week, prices paid for top grades were back around 8p/kg, with R3 grading cows at 570p/kg and R4 cows at 568.8p/kg.

NI sheep: prices ease for spring lambs

Spring lambs in the marts have eased this week, with prices bid ringside down by 20p to 30p/kg.

The plants are at 690p and a best of 700p, making a lamb worth £147 at the 21kg deadweight.

In Gortin, trade was weaker, with a top price per head of £154 for 33kg (468p/kg) and £150.50 for 24.4kg (616p/kg).

In Kilrea, the trade for 700 was back, making from 674p to 709p/kg, down by 26p on last week. The 709p was for 21.5kg at £152.50, with 700p for 21kg at £147, with a run from 680p to 696p/kg. Hoggets at 21.5kg made £126.

In Markethill, 660 spring lambs made from 660p to 758p/kg, down by up to 20p for heavier sorts. Heavier lambs sold to 667p/kg for 24.3kg at £162, with 659p for 24.3kg at £160.

In Saintfield, a big show of 995 lambs made from 665p to 700p/kg, down by 25p/kg. Suffolks at 27kg made £167, with Texels at 26kg at £165.

In Ballymena, cross-channel buyers helped the trade, with 738p paid for 21kg, £155, and 712p also for 21kg, £149.50. Other lots made 707p for 22.5kg, £159, and for 21.5kg £152.

Fat ewes

In Gortin, the top ewe made £200, with others from £140 to £190.

In Markethill, 330 culls sold to tops of £268 and £270. The main demand for good ewes was from £170 to £230, with plainer sorts from £100 to £150.

In Saintfield, Charollais ewes sold to a top of £245. Other ewes made from £180 to £230.