There has been a slightly more difficult trade in the marts. Factory-fit lambs are seeing price reductions in line with factory cuts. Lambs weighing 46kg to 50kg are selling from €91 to €101/head.
Butcher demand in some marts is propping prices for lambs over 50kg. These lambs, with good flesh cover, are selling from €100 to €112/head. Lighter lambs weighing 40kg to 46kg are making €76 to €90/head.
Dryer weather is encouraging farmers to come out to sales to purchase ewe and store lambs. Farmers selling good-quality ewe lambs are securing premiums of €5 to €10/head.
Hill-bred sheep
Dan McCarthy from Kenmare Mart said there was an improvement in the trade for hill-bred lambs.
He said good-quality Scotch store lambs were selling from €1.70/kg to €1.72/kg – an increase of 5c/kg on the previous sale.
However, plainer lots were making €1.55/kg on average. Some crossbred lambs were making up to €2/kg.
Scotch-bred breeding hoggets sold from €110 to €135/head and crossbreds made up to €150/head. Crossbred cull ewes made €1/kg on average and Scotch-bred ewes were selling for €30 to €45/head.
In Donegal, Carndonagh Mart manager Harry Molloy said horned ram lambs weighing 30kg to 35kg sold from €50 to €57/head on average. He said crossbred ram lambs were making up to €2/kg.
There was a considerable premium for good-quality horned ewe lambs, with some heavier lambs weighing 38kg making up to €110/head.
He said lighter horned ewe lambs weighing 30kg to 32kg made €80 to €90/head. Harry said there has been an increase in demand for horned breeding ewes, which are selling from €110 to €135/head. Crossbred hoggets are selling for €120 to €140/head.