Quotes for clean cattle have pushed up again this week to a best of 664p for U-3 grading steers and 668p for the same grade of heifers.
That remains well short of what is actually being paid for cattle, with 686p/kg freely available and prices of around 690p/kg for regular suppliers.
However, with the Easter holidays, factories are working on shorter weeks, so are under reduced pressure to secure numbers. As a result, there is less upward momentum in the trade this week.
Last week saw another 13p/kg put on to the price paid for steers and heifers, leaving overall averages at 673.8p and 672.9p/kg respectively. U3 grading steers and heifers both averaged 686.1p/kg.
In Britain, prices were up by another 8p to 10p/kg last week, with the prices paid for U3 and R3 grading steers and heifers all over 700p/kg and prices for U-3 grading heifers in Scotland pushing on past 726p/kg.
However, the trade in the Republic of Ireland has stalled, not helped by recent movements in euro versus sterling.
That has encouraged more cattle north for direct slaughter, with 544 head brought in last week, the highest weekly total since the third week of February. Just 58 cattle were sent in the opposite direction, while no cattle from NI made the trip across the Irish Sea for slaughter in Britain.
Last week’s total cattle kill in NI was 10,465, the highest weekly total since early March.
Cow trade
The cow trade remains strong, especially in the marts. In Markethill, a 694kg cow made £2,590 or 373p/kg, with a 674kg cow at £2,480 or 368p/kg. Friesian cows reached £2,030 for 736kg or 276p/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, there is much more available. Last week, the prices paid for R3 and R4 grading cows were at 580.6 and 585.1p/kg respectively.
Easter holiday closures
Foyle - Good Friday and Easter Monday.Linden - Easter Monday only.Dunbia - Easter Monday and Tuesday.ABP - Easter Monday and Tuesday.NI sheep: hogget trade eases
The hogget trade in the marts has come back by up to 30p/kg this week. The plants have edged their quotes down to a best of 700p, making a hogget worth £161 at the 23kg limit.
Opening quotes for spring lamb are at 730p to 21kg or £153.30/head at the weight limit.
In Gortin, a sharp trade had heavy hoggets at and over 30kg selling from £182 to £200. Middleweights made from £148 to £163.50 and up to 628p/kg.
Kilrea saw 750 hoggets selling from 668p to 709p/kg, down by 16p/kg on last week.
A show and sale of spring lambs reached 829p/kg for 20.5kg at £170, with 813p for 24kg at £195. There was a run from 725p to 791p/kg and from £148 to £175/head.
In Markethill, 800 hoggets sold from 620p to 651p/kg, down by 30p for heavier sorts.
There were 210 spring lambs making from 650p to 698p/kg. The 698p was for 22.5kg at £157.
In Saintfield, 520 hoggets sold from 610p to 720p, down 35p/kg for heavier hoggets.
In Ballymena, a good trade saw a great pen of hoggets at 22kg making £170.50 or 775p/kg. Heavy sorts made from £160 to £170 or more.
Fat ewes
The very strong trade for fat ewes continues.
In Gortin, the best ewes made £306/head, while others made from £190 to £285.
And in Kilrea, ewes sold to £268/head.
A strong trade in Markethill had 460 culls selling from £220 to £318 and to a top of £320.
In Saintfield, a very strong trade saw a top of £332 for Texels with a run from £190 to £316.
Quotes for clean cattle have pushed up again this week to a best of 664p for U-3 grading steers and 668p for the same grade of heifers.
That remains well short of what is actually being paid for cattle, with 686p/kg freely available and prices of around 690p/kg for regular suppliers.
However, with the Easter holidays, factories are working on shorter weeks, so are under reduced pressure to secure numbers. As a result, there is less upward momentum in the trade this week.
Last week saw another 13p/kg put on to the price paid for steers and heifers, leaving overall averages at 673.8p and 672.9p/kg respectively. U3 grading steers and heifers both averaged 686.1p/kg.
In Britain, prices were up by another 8p to 10p/kg last week, with the prices paid for U3 and R3 grading steers and heifers all over 700p/kg and prices for U-3 grading heifers in Scotland pushing on past 726p/kg.
However, the trade in the Republic of Ireland has stalled, not helped by recent movements in euro versus sterling.
That has encouraged more cattle north for direct slaughter, with 544 head brought in last week, the highest weekly total since the third week of February. Just 58 cattle were sent in the opposite direction, while no cattle from NI made the trip across the Irish Sea for slaughter in Britain.
Last week’s total cattle kill in NI was 10,465, the highest weekly total since early March.
Cow trade
The cow trade remains strong, especially in the marts. In Markethill, a 694kg cow made £2,590 or 373p/kg, with a 674kg cow at £2,480 or 368p/kg. Friesian cows reached £2,030 for 736kg or 276p/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, there is much more available. Last week, the prices paid for R3 and R4 grading cows were at 580.6 and 585.1p/kg respectively.
Easter holiday closures
Foyle - Good Friday and Easter Monday.Linden - Easter Monday only.Dunbia - Easter Monday and Tuesday.ABP - Easter Monday and Tuesday.NI sheep: hogget trade eases
The hogget trade in the marts has come back by up to 30p/kg this week. The plants have edged their quotes down to a best of 700p, making a hogget worth £161 at the 23kg limit.
Opening quotes for spring lamb are at 730p to 21kg or £153.30/head at the weight limit.
In Gortin, a sharp trade had heavy hoggets at and over 30kg selling from £182 to £200. Middleweights made from £148 to £163.50 and up to 628p/kg.
Kilrea saw 750 hoggets selling from 668p to 709p/kg, down by 16p/kg on last week.
A show and sale of spring lambs reached 829p/kg for 20.5kg at £170, with 813p for 24kg at £195. There was a run from 725p to 791p/kg and from £148 to £175/head.
In Markethill, 800 hoggets sold from 620p to 651p/kg, down by 30p for heavier sorts.
There were 210 spring lambs making from 650p to 698p/kg. The 698p was for 22.5kg at £157.
In Saintfield, 520 hoggets sold from 610p to 720p, down 35p/kg for heavier hoggets.
In Ballymena, a good trade saw a great pen of hoggets at 22kg making £170.50 or 775p/kg. Heavy sorts made from £160 to £170 or more.
Fat ewes
The very strong trade for fat ewes continues.
In Gortin, the best ewes made £306/head, while others made from £190 to £285.
And in Kilrea, ewes sold to £268/head.
A strong trade in Markethill had 460 culls selling from £220 to £318 and to a top of £320.
In Saintfield, a very strong trade saw a top of £332 for Texels with a run from £190 to £316.
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