Base cattle quotes for clean cattle have steadied this week at a best of 600p/kg for U-3 grades. However, with numbers tight, there is much more available from the market.

Reports from farmers suggest starting prices are up another 10p/kg on last week, with starting prices at around 620p/kg and 4p to 6p/kg more on offer to regular suppliers.

It means prices are up nearly £1/kg since the start of the year.

Factory agents are struggling to meet requirements and there is no issue getting cattle killed.

Prices paid

Last week, U3 steers averaged 617.5p/kg, up 6.7p, with U3 grading heifers at 618.2p/kg, up 8.4p on the previous week.

However, the largest increase was in the price of young bulls, with U3 grades up over 20p/kg to average 604.2p/kg.

In Britain, the price paid for U-3 grading steers was up another 5.6p/kg to average 655.1p/kg.

Reports suggest prices around the 660p/kg mark are freely available across England this week, with Scottish prices 10p/kg ahead of that.

Cattle moving

That price gap continues to encourage some NI cattle to move to Britain for direct slaughter, with 80 head shipped last week, taking the total for the year to date to 518.

A further 898 store and breeding cattle have moved from NI to Britain over the first two months of the year.

ROI prices remain around 60p/kg behind NI, with 438 head coming north for direct slaughter last week.

Numbers exported to NI are currently running 19% ahead of the same period in 2024.

Cows

The strong mart trade for fat cows has quotes at the plants moving up to a best of 480p for an O+ cow and to 490p/kg for an R grade.

Trade in the marts is exceptional. In Clogher, an outstanding Belgian Blue cow at 940kg sold for £580 per 100kg, to a record price of £5,452.

And £2,720 was paid for a 760kg Limousin at £358 per 100kg and £2,600 for an 840kg Limousin at £320 per 100kg.

The price paid last week for an R3 grading cow was 520.9p, while an O3 cow was at 493.3p/kg.

NI sheep: hogget trade eases in marts

Quotes for hoggets in the plants are at 705p/kg, making a hogget worth £162.15 at best at the 23kg limit. In the marts, the trade is slightly easier.

In Gortin, the heaviest hoggets sold from £160 to £174/head. Middleweights made from £142 to £154.50.

In Kilrea, 1,050 hoggets sold from 643p to 687p, down by 18p on last week. There was a big run of mid-weights from 646p to 680p/kg and from £155 to £168.50/head.

In Markethill, an easier trade saw 850 head selling from 600p to 671p/kg. Good-quality middle weights sold from 630p to 671p/kg for 20.2kg at £135.50, with 667p for 20.4kg at £136. Heavy hoggets made to 629p for 24.1kg at £150 and 24.5kg at £154.

The trade in Ballymena was steady, with 24kg making £167.50 or 698p/kg, with 23kg at £158 or 687p and 25.5kg at £164 or 643p/kg. Hoggets at 20kg made £130 or 650p/kg.

Fat ewes

The exceptional trade in fat ewes has continued this week.

In Gortin, the best ewes sold at £288 and £270/head, while others made from £170 to £260.

And in Kilrea, ewes sold to £266.