The sheep trade is starting the week in a steady manner, with quotes unchanged on last week’s levels.

Significant variation remains between opening prices quoted by factories for quality assured (QA) lambs.

While not quoting officially, reports indicate that Kildare Chilling is offering local suppliers an opening price of €7.20/kg plus 10c/kg for QA lambs.

This is significantly ahead of competing plants, which are opening negotiations at €7.10/kg for QA lambs.

Regular sellers and groups are securing higher returns, but, again, there is some variation, with top prices ranging from €7.25/kg to €7.40/kg.

There is talk of agents securing higher from the market, which tallies with a keener appetite in mart sales.

Tight numbers

Numbers remain tight, with a combination of weaning taking place and a poor kill-out in lambs slowing drafting.

The latter is reported as a big limiting factor, with many lambs finished on grass alone killing poorly.

Factory procurement personnel comment that there are significant numbers of lambs killing as low as 40% to 43%, leading to a higher number of carcases weighing 17kg to 18kg and some even falling below the minimum carcase weight.

Ewe trade

Quotes in the main plants remain at €3.90/kg to €4/kg. Buyers purchasing ewes for slaughtering in plants specialising in the ewe trade or in abattoirs handling excellent-quality ewes are paying upwards of €4.40/kg to €4.50/kg.

Deals are also going on carcase weights, with factories trying to entice regular sellers to sell direct rather than show ewes in the mart.

Reports from marts held over the weekend and on Monday show a vibrant live trade for ewes, with such buyers competing with agents purchasing ewes to export live.

Top-quality ewes are easily topping the €2/kg mark, with prices at the top end of the price point ranging from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg.