The sheep trade remains pretty firm, with quotes holding steady in some factories and back 5c/kg to 10c/kg in others.

Base quotes vary from €5.65/kg to €5.75/kg, with a high percentage of deals completed from a base of €5.70/kg.

This leaves non-quality assured lambs or lambs trading from producers with weak negotiating power on a price of €5.70/kg to €5.75/kg.

Top prices

Sellers with more negotiating power are pushing returns to €5.80/kg to €5.85/kg, while at the top of the market the best deals are reported at €5.90/kg to €5.95/kg when all producer group and quality payments, along with allowances on transport, are factored into the price.

The ewe trade remains vulnerable and is variable between plants. The majority of plants are quoting a base of €2.50/kg, with top prices now curtailed at an average of €2.60/kg to €2.65/kg.

The trade has also eased in marts, with buyers reflecting the weakening in the factory trade, while those purchasing large-framed ewes for live export or for exporting to meet special orders are also not willing to match the high prices paid in recent weeks.

This is leaving top-quality ewes in mart sales topping out at €105 to €115, with a price of €120 only hit in isolated cases in recent days.