Forward cattle beef up mart prices

Marts: There is good demand for quality forward cattle in the marts, while the trade for lighter animals and weanlings has slipped in some areas of the country this week.

Although the indications are that beef prices have reached their peak for this season, producers buying the forward animals at the marts are hoping for good post-Christmas trade for beef, which is providing plenty of demand for these near-finished animals at the live sales.

Tighter supplies of beef in Britain and a drop in imports from South America has created a strong market for imports.