The trade in Monday’s sheep sale in Raphoe Mart, Co Donegal, exceeded expectations, with prices resisting downward factory pressure and firming in cases by €1 to €2/head.

Mart manager Ann Harkin said the trade was helped by buyers exhibiting increased demand and lively competition between buyers ringside and online.

The general run of prices for fleshed lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg ranged from €176 to €180/head, with a few lots of heavier or excellent-quality lots ranging from €199 to €204/head.

The pick of these was €199 paid for 48.6kg Texel-cross lambs.

Flesh cover

Prices paid for lambs weighing 45kg to 46kg were heavily influenced by flesh cover.

Such lambs sold in the main from €162 to €170/head, with the best-quality lots hitting €173/head.

Lambs weighing 42kg to 44kg sold in a wide differential, with lambs possessing a lower cover of flesh selling from €144 to €148/head, with top-quality lots ranging from €150 to €158/head.

There was a number of customers active for store lambs, with numbers likely to continue to build as weaning ramps up in the coming weeks.

Lambs weighing from 35kg to 38kg sold from €128 to €135/head, with a couple of batches of lighter lots back to the low- to mid-€130s.

Cull ewes

Cull ewes weighing from 90kg to upwards of 100kg sold from €1.81/kg to €1.94/kg or €80 to €94 over the weight.

Ewes weighing 75kg to 80kg traded in the main from €140 to €150 for fleshed lots, while lots lacking flesh and lighter lots sold from €104 to €124, with very few ewes below this mark.

Yearly difference

A quick analysis of prices for the corresponding week in 2023 shows finished lamb prices are running about €10 to €15 per head higher.

The top lamb price reported in 2023 was €160 to €172 paid for lambs weighing 44kg to 52kg. Store lambs also seem to be starting the season brighter, up over €10 per head.

The cull ewe trade is also sharper with top prices also in the region of €10 to €15 per head higher.

In pictures

These top-quality Texel-cross lambs weighing 49kg sold for €199 (€4.06/kg).

This pen of three Charollais-cross lambs weighing 48kg sold for €176 (€3.67/kg).

This batch of 12 mixed breed lambs weighing 45kg sold for €164 (€3.64/kg).

This batch of seven ram lambs weighing 44kg sold for €155 (€3.52/kg).

These five ram lambs weighing 43kg sold for €150 (€3.49/kg).

Averaging 42kg, these seven Charollais-cross lambs sold for €160 (€3.81/kg).

Weighing an average of 42kg, this batch of 14 mixed breed lambs sold for €156 (€3.71/kg).

This batch of 14 Texel-cross ram lambs weighing 39kg sold for €147 (€3.77/kg).

This batch of 15 well-presented Texel store lambs weighing 36kg sold for €132 (€3.67/kg).

These nice-quality Texel store lambs weighing 38kg sold for €135 (€3.55/kg).

Weighing an average of 33kg, these six Texel-cross lambs sold for €121 (€3.67/kg).

This pen of five lambs weighing 42kg sold for €155 (€3.69/kg).

This batch of 43kg lambs sold for €156 (€3.63/kg).

This pair of horned Suffolk-cross lambs weighing 42kg sold for €145 (€3.45/kg).

This batch of four Texel-cross lambs weighing 36kg sold for €135 (€3.75/kg).

This batch of three Suffolk-cross ram lambs weighing 42kg sold for €144 (€3.43/kg).

This Texel ewe lambs weighing 47kg sold for €165 (€3.51/kg).