The live trade has responded to the rise in factory lamb prices this week, with mart managers reporting strong competition between factory agents.

Supplies of good-quality, fat lambs are showing signs of slowing week-on-week, which is helping to underpin the trade. Prices have strengthened again this week by another €4 to €5 per head.

Factory-fit lambs are selling from €94 to €99 for 44kg to 46kg lambs, with heavier lambs weighing up to 54kg selling from €102 to €110 per head. Factory agents are trying hard to keep a lid on fat prices of €55 to €60 over to maintain their margins.

Butcher lambs are trading at similar prices to heavy, fleshed factory lambs.

Fleshed lowland ewes are also in demand from factory agents, selling from €90 to €120 per head, with quality driving price. Feeding ewes are in limited supply given the amount of grass around, but where offered for sale, there are buyers for them and prices range from €70 to €90 per head. Store lamb prices have strengthened by as much as €5 per head and sale numbers have recovered on recent weeks, with more animals offered for sale. Good-quality, short-keep lambs weighing 40kg to 42kg are selling from €86 to €94, or €46 to €54 over. Stores weighing 34kg to 38kg are selling from €42 to €50 over, with plainer or cross-bred ewes selling from €32 to €42 over.