Base quotes for R3 grade hoggets up to 22kg ranged from 545-550p/kg across factories in Northern Ireland this past week.
The LMC’s (Livestock & Meat Commission) figures show that the average deadweight hogget price in NI last week rose by 11.8p/kg to 541.3p/kg. Throughput of hoggets in NI plants last week totalled 6,901 head, back 309 head from the previous week. This is also back 481 head when compared to the 7,382 hoggets that local plants processed in the same week last year.
Exports of hoggets to ROI last week for direct slaughter totalled 5,211 head, up 458 head from the previous week.
The LMC said quotes for steers, heifers, and cull cows moved up a notch, while young bull prices were back slightly. Prices for in-spec U-3 prime cattle strengthened, ranging from 390-398p/kg. It expects quotes to vary from 392-398p/kg this week.
The cow trade has also strengthened, with quotes for good quality O+3 grading cows ranging from 280-300p/kg. According to the Commission, the average steer price rose by 1.2p/kg to 397.7p/kg, and the R3 steer price was up 2.8p/kg to 407.6p/kg.
The average heifer price in NI last week rose by 0.3p/kg to 398.1p/kg, with the R3 heifer price up by 1.2p/kg to 406.8p/kg. The average young bull price in NI was the only category that recorded a decline.
The cow trade has remained “firm”, with the average cow price up at 0.1p/kg to 277.2p/kg and the O3 cow price rose by 0.3p/kg to 303.9p/kg.
LSL News.