There has been no significant change in the sheep trade over the last week. Kepak Athleague is top of the export plants on a base quote of €4.60/kg plus the 5c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus, with Kildare Chilling not quoting for Thursday. Moyvalley Meats remains on all-in quote of €4.70/kg, with Ballon Meats on an all-in quote of €4.60/kg. The two ICM plants and Ballyhaunis are unchanged on a base of €4.50/kg.

The majority of QA lambs trading from individual sellers continue to move between €4.70/kg and €4.75/kg, with some deals for non-quality assured lambs back to €4.60/kg to €4.65/kg. Sellers handling large numbers and producer groups with a bonus payment mechanism are in many cases securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher, bringing prices up to a top of €4.80/kg.

This excludes allowances on transport. Most producer groups are also working to a higher carcase weight limit of 22kg, with their weight limit agreement increasing 0.5kg on 1 October. This is also now being negotiated by a higher number of individual sellers.

The sheep kill has stabilised following a downward pattern since the peak kills for Eid al-Adha at the start of September. Last week’s kill was 64,208 head, an increase of 2,299 on the week previous. The ewe and ram kill continues to make up close to 20% of the overall kill, with 11,736 ewes and rams processed last week. Base quotes are unchanged at €2.40/kg, with Ballon Meats quoting €2.60/kg for good-quality continental ewes. General prices range from €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg, with dealers handling small numbers securing the highest prices.

NI trade

The northern lamb kill reduced 1,453 head last week to 9,095. Quotes have eased 5p/kg, with reports suggesting the recovery in the strength of sterling in recent weeks put pressure on prices to compete in export markets. All plants are quoting £3.70/kg which at Wednesday’s exchange rate of 88.7p to the euro equates to €4.39/kg including VAT at 5.4%. The number of sheep imported south for slaughter last week was at 9,244, a slight increase of 176 head. The ewe and ram kill increased from 843 head to 961 head.

Clean livestock policy

Poor ground conditions continue to bring a greater focus on the clean livestock policy for sheep, with farmers advised to take necessary actions to ensure sheep are delivered clean for slaughter.

IFA livestock committee chair John Lynskey is calling on the Department and factories to inform farmers of the requirements and to provide a good lead-in period for the new requirements to bed in. Read more

Sheep prices: reports vary between marts