Update on lamb prices September 2021:
Sheep processing plants across Northern Ireland moved lamb quotes up a notch this week.
The LMC (Livestock and Meat Commission) reported that quotes from processors for R3 grade lambs ranged from 485- 490p/kg up to 21kg.
However, the LMC expects quotes to range from 475-490p/kg next week.
September 2021 lamb prices
A spokesperson for the commission said: “The average NI deadweight lamb price was down 7.2p/kg from the previous week to 441.9p/kg.”
“Meanwhile the deadweight lamb price in ROI was down 7.9p/kg to 520.2p/kg.”
Throughput of lambs last week decreased to 9,643, 196 head behind the previous week’s level when local plants processed 9,839 lambs.
A further 7,016 lambs were exported from NI to ROI for direct slaughter, back 146 when compared to the previous week.
In the corresponding week in 2020, 7,284 lambs were exported from NI to ROI for direct slaughter.
Beef prices in Northern Ireland
Beef prices continued to “come under pressure” across plants in Northern Ireland this week.
The LMC (Livestock and Meat Commission) reports that quotes from the plants for in-spec U-3 grade prime cattle ranged from 384-394p/kg.
Meanwhile, quotes for good quality O+3 grade cows ranged from 280-300p/kg, with most plants “quoting at the upper end of this scale”.
- Last week, the average steer price in NI decreased by 1.6p/kg to 390.9p/kg, while the R3 steer price fell by 3.1p/kg to 399.3p/kg. In the corresponding week in 2020, the R3 steer price in NI was 364.3p/kg, 35p/kg behind current levels.
- The average heifer price in NI last week fell by 1.6p/kg to 394.9p/kg, with the R3 heifer price back 2.4p/kg to 401.0p/kg.
- In contrast, the average young bull price rose by 1.5p/kg to 381.1p/kg, with the R3 young bull price down 3.2p/kg to 388.3p/kg.
- Furthermore, the average cow price decreased by 4.6p/kg to 280.0p/kg, while the O3 cow price “remained steady” at 315.1p/kg.
