The store lamb trade remains a bright aspect of the sheep trade, with many mart managers reporting a particularly keen appetite for short-keep stores. Some managers comment that the trade is being underpinned by buyers who fared out well in finishing store lambs last season returning with a keen appetite, while farmers who cut down ewe numbers and in cases have surplus grass are also adding another source of competition.
The store lamb trade remains a bright aspect of the sheep trade, with many mart managers reporting a particularly keen appetite for short-keep stores.
Some managers comment that the trade is being underpinned by buyers who fared out well in finishing store lambs last season returning with a keen appetite, while farmers who cut down ewe numbers and in cases have surplus grass are also adding another source of competition.
The keenest demand in many sales is for short-keep lambs.
Good-quality lowland lambs weighing around the 40kg mark are selling in the main from €3.10/kg to €3.20/kg, with the best quality lots hitting €3.30/kg and higher.
Lighter stores are trading from €2.90/kg to €3.10/kg, with the best-quality lots again capable of selling to €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg.
Plainer-quality and crossbred lambs are trading in the main from €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg with lamb presentation and flesh cover important considerations for buyers.
Lambs which have been stunted in growth or lighter hill lambs are selling back under €2.50/kg, with prices ranging anywhere from €2/kg to €2.40/kg depending on quality.
The trade for slaughter-fit sheep is unchanged. A significant percentage of lambs weighing 50kg to 53kg are trading from €157 to €164, with top lots and heavier lambs rising above €170 and poorer-quality back to €150.
Entries of breeding sheep have been boosted in hill areas by Scottish Blackface and Cheviot sheep appearing in higher numbers, while numbers continue to fall in lowland areas.
Top-quality lowland hoggets are trading from €230 to €280/head on average, with the best-quality hill breeds similar.
Plainer-quality and lighter ewes are trading from €185 to €210, with some average-quality and small-framed hill hoggets back to €150/head.
The cull ewe trade is firm, with the general run of fleshed ewes selling from €1.80/kg to €2/kg.
A selection of excellent-quality lots continue to hit €2.20/kg, but numbers are small, with fewer heavy ewes in some sales.
Feeding ewes range from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg for younger and larger-framed ewes, falling back to €1.40/kg for older and plainer-quality types. Scotch ewes are selling from €1/kg to €1.40/kg, with carcase weight dictating returns.
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