While the factory trade for lambs has been broadly unchanged in the last week, a number of marts with a strong presence of butcher and wholesale buyers have reported prices firming by €1 to €3/head.
Greater increases have been evident in a couple of marts, with Kilkenny Mart recording prices firming by upwards of €5/head and top prices exceeding €200/head on three occasions and many more ranging between €185 and €195.
The general run of prices for well-fleshed lowland lambs weighing 50kg to 54kg has ranged from €172 to €180, with excellent-quality – and in cases heavier – lots exceeding the €180 mark.
This is variable across sales, with many mart managers in sales without a strong butcher or wholesale outlet reporting a top call of €180/head is buying the lion’s share of lambs.
There are small numbers of ewe lambs securing a price premium, but, in general, this trade has quietened, with fewer lots of top-quality lambs and fewer customers for them.
The store lamb trade is steady, with lowland lambs continuing to range on average from €3.20/kg to €3.55/kg, depending on quality.
Some lesser-quality and crossbred lambs are selling back to €3/kg, with very light lambs that are poorly presented below this range.
At the opposite end, some good-quality hill lambs are achieving a similar price per kilo to lowland lambs, with keen demand for good-quality hill ewe lambs.
Numbers on offer are also variable. Some marts in sheep strongholds continue to report a steady entry, while others in the east and southeast are reporting tighter supplies.
The cull ewe trade is unchanged and again there is variation between sales. The average price reported for fleshed cull ewes is around the €2/kg mark, with choice lots rising to €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg.
In contrast, other sales are recording an average price of €2.20/kg for fleshed ewes, with choice lots rising to €2.30/kg to €2.35/kg. Lowland ewes with a lower cover of flesh and heavier hill ewes are trading from €1.70/kg to €1.90/kg with lighter types back to €1.50/kg and very light ewes back to €1.20/kg to €1.30/kg.
While the factory trade for lambs has been broadly unchanged in the last week, a number of marts with a strong presence of butcher and wholesale buyers have reported prices firming by €1 to €3/head.
Greater increases have been evident in a couple of marts, with Kilkenny Mart recording prices firming by upwards of €5/head and top prices exceeding €200/head on three occasions and many more ranging between €185 and €195.
The general run of prices for well-fleshed lowland lambs weighing 50kg to 54kg has ranged from €172 to €180, with excellent-quality – and in cases heavier – lots exceeding the €180 mark.
This is variable across sales, with many mart managers in sales without a strong butcher or wholesale outlet reporting a top call of €180/head is buying the lion’s share of lambs.
There are small numbers of ewe lambs securing a price premium, but, in general, this trade has quietened, with fewer lots of top-quality lambs and fewer customers for them.
The store lamb trade is steady, with lowland lambs continuing to range on average from €3.20/kg to €3.55/kg, depending on quality.
Some lesser-quality and crossbred lambs are selling back to €3/kg, with very light lambs that are poorly presented below this range.
At the opposite end, some good-quality hill lambs are achieving a similar price per kilo to lowland lambs, with keen demand for good-quality hill ewe lambs.
Numbers on offer are also variable. Some marts in sheep strongholds continue to report a steady entry, while others in the east and southeast are reporting tighter supplies.
The cull ewe trade is unchanged and again there is variation between sales. The average price reported for fleshed cull ewes is around the €2/kg mark, with choice lots rising to €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg.
In contrast, other sales are recording an average price of €2.20/kg for fleshed ewes, with choice lots rising to €2.30/kg to €2.35/kg. Lowland ewes with a lower cover of flesh and heavier hill ewes are trading from €1.70/kg to €1.90/kg with lighter types back to €1.50/kg and very light ewes back to €1.20/kg to €1.30/kg.
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