This is a subscriber-only article
The sheep trade is largely steady on last week, with base quotes on a similar footing of €4.90/kg.
Of the main export plants, Kildare Chilling and the two ICM plants are quoting €4.90/kg for Thursday.
Kepak Athleague is not quoting for the fourth week running and is joined again this week by Dawn Ballyhaunis.
Moyvalley Meats is quoting €5.00/kg all-in, with Ballon Meats quoting €4.90/kg all-in.
Sellers are receiving returns of €5.00/kg to €5.10/kg for quality assured (QA) lamb, while producer groups and those trading at the top end of the market are securing returns of €5.05/kg to €5.15/kg.
The weekly kill eased back by 2,128 head to 56,776. This is 5,509 head lower than the corresponding week in 2018, with the kill for the year to date running 88,609 head lower.
There are 41,312 more spring lambs processed, with 91,094 fewer hoggets and 38,801 less ewes and rams.
Factories report a higher percentage of lambs killing within the desired carcase weight range of 18kg to 21kg.
Factories add that hitting desired weights is helping their efforts in trading into a market that is contending with rising volumes of competitively priced UK lamb.
Producers are being advised to continue to draft lambs as they come fit, while a couple of wholesale-orientated buyers are advising farmers to be aware of a dip in kill-out and fat cover in recent weeks.
The increase in UK supplies has reportedly put pressure on prices in the UK.
Prices there range from £4.00/kg to £4.10/kg, which is the equivalent of €4.49/kg to €4.61/kg at 89p to the euro and €4.73/kg to €4.86/kg VAT-inclusive at 5.4%.
Quotes in Northern Ireland are steady to 5p/kg lower at £3.85/kg to £3.90/kg (€4.56/kg to €4.62/kg).
Producers with greater negotiating power are securing 5p/kg to 10p/kg higher.
Throughput is also holding strong, with last week’s kill of 9,595 head running about 2,000 above the corresponding week in 2018 and similar to the two previous weeks.
Northern plants are keen to compete with agents purchasing sheep for southern plants, with the increase in the kill reflected in lower numbers coming south for direct slaughter.
Last week’s imports were recorded at 6,689 head, which is 1,334 lower than the corresponding week in 2018.
Total imports for the year to date stand at 161,900, a fall of 38,624 on 2018.
The number of sheep imported to farms is 5,681 head higher at 36,547.
The ewe trade is steady, with quotes unchanged at €2.70/kg to €2.80/kg.
Regular sellers are securing 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher, with agents securing higher and active in mart sales.
SHARING OPTIONS: