The quotes for clean cattle have held steady this week, with most plants offering in the range 660p to 668p/kg for U-3 grading steers and heifers.

It is a similar picture with the actual prices paid, with farmers reporting deals that are unchanged at around 686p/kg for U grades, rising to around the 690p/kg mark for regular suppliers.

Last week’s prices paid were back marginally on the previous week.

Across all steers, prices were down nearly 3p/kg to average 678p/kg. U3 grading steers finished last week at 688.7p/kg, down 2.4p/kg.

U3 grading heifers were down 2.1p/kg to average 689.1p/kg.

A similar trend was seen in England, with U and R grading steers and heifers generally down by between 2p and 4p/kg.

However, Scotland bucked that trend, with U-3 steers up by over 10p/kg to average 729.1p/kg and U-3 grade heifers rising nearly 7p to average 732.3p/kg.

As a result, the overall cattle trade in Britain was generally little changed, leaving the gap to NI prices at around 30p/kg for top grades.

In the Republic of Ireland (ROI), the beef market has turned after a couple of weeks of drops. Last week’s gap to NI prices stood at over 30p/kg.

With prices trending upwards in ROI, the trade in cattle coming in from the south for direct slaughter in NI at the end of April fell back to 250 head. Trade in the opposite direction was only 11 head and none went across the Irish Sea to Britain.

Cows

The market for cows remains strong, with factories generally unchanged at a best of 544p for an O+ cow and up to 554p for an R grade.

However, the price paid last week for an R3 cow was down over 15p/kg to average 578.1p/kg, while an O3 cow was down by over 6p/kg to 557.9p/kg. Those drops were not replicated elsewhere, with the cow trade in Britain up 4p to 8p/kg on previous weeks, depending on grade.

In local marts, fat cows sold to £2,790 for a 990kg Aberdeen Angus in Armoy. In Ballymena, Friesian cows made £2,331 for 870kg or 268p/kg and £2,052 for 760kg or 270p/kg.

NI sheep: firm trade for spring lambs

The trade for spring lambs is very firm in the marts. In Ballymena on Wednesday morning, prices were boosted by a cross-channel buyer, with pens making from 720p and up to 775p/kg.

The plants are attempting to exert control, with quotes at 730p/kg for 21kg deadweight or £153.30/head.

For hoggets, quotes at best have edged back 10p to 670p/kg, making a hogget worth £154.10 at the 23kg limit.

In Gortin, a firm trade had spring lambs making £156.50 to £160.50/head, the latter at 697p/kg for 23kg. And 22kg made £160 or 727p/kg.

In Markethill, 400 spring lambs made 670p to 760p/kg, up by 10p to 40p on last week. The 760p was for 20kg at £152, with 742p for 21.9kg at £162.50.

In Saintfield, 240 spring lambs sold from 700p to 770p/kg.

In Ballymena, cross-channel buying boosted prices to 775p/kg for 22kg at £170.50, with a run from 723p/kg for 23.5kg at £170 up to 760p/kg for 22.5kg at £171. Hoggets at 29kg made £150/head.

Fat ewes

In Gortin, the top price was £240, with a big run from £190 to £238.