An analysis of sale prices over the last week shows slightly more life in the trade this week.
This is not reflected across the board, with some marts reporting a steady trade, while others are reporting prices firming by €1 to €2/head.
Differences remain between prices, with some mart managers reporting a price of €180 as the top price capable of buying the majority of heavier lambs on offer, while others report prices rising to €181 to €183 and in cases hitting €185 for excellent-quality types attracting butcher or wholesale buyer interest.
There is also a difference of €3 to €5/head in cases between lambs of a similar weight, but varying quality.
One manager on Wednesday reported good-quality lowland lambs weighing 52kg selling on average from €178 to €180/head, while crossbred or horned lambs of a similar weight sold from €175 to €177.
Lighter lambs weighing from 48kg to 49kg are selling anywhere from the high- €160s to mid- to high-€170s, again depending on potential slaughter performance. Lots weighing 45kg to 46kg range in the main from €150 to €160.
The trade for store lambs is unchanged. A high percentage of lambs are trading from €3.30/kg to €3.50/kg, with lambs with a good cover of flesh in cases hitting €3.70/kg.
At the other end of the quality spectrum, there are some poorer-quality hill-type lambs selling back to €3/kg and lower, but better-quality Scottish Blackface lambs with an average cover of flesh are selling steadily at €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg.
The cull ewe trade is unchanged and again there is variation in sale reports. Some marts are reporting heavy fleshed ewes selling on average from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, while others are reporting challenges in exceeding a price of €2.20/kg.
There is also a 10c/kg to 15c/kg differential between good-quality lowland ewes and fleshed crossbred ewes, with more buyers active for better-quality ewes and willing to pay above factory price.
Ewes with an average cover of flesh are selling around €1.85/kg to €2/kg, with those shy of flesh cover from €1.50/kg to €1.60/kg and back to €1/kg for poorer-quality lots.
An analysis of sale prices over the last week shows slightly more life in the trade this week.
This is not reflected across the board, with some marts reporting a steady trade, while others are reporting prices firming by €1 to €2/head.
Differences remain between prices, with some mart managers reporting a price of €180 as the top price capable of buying the majority of heavier lambs on offer, while others report prices rising to €181 to €183 and in cases hitting €185 for excellent-quality types attracting butcher or wholesale buyer interest.
There is also a difference of €3 to €5/head in cases between lambs of a similar weight, but varying quality.
One manager on Wednesday reported good-quality lowland lambs weighing 52kg selling on average from €178 to €180/head, while crossbred or horned lambs of a similar weight sold from €175 to €177.
Lighter lambs weighing from 48kg to 49kg are selling anywhere from the high- €160s to mid- to high-€170s, again depending on potential slaughter performance. Lots weighing 45kg to 46kg range in the main from €150 to €160.
The trade for store lambs is unchanged. A high percentage of lambs are trading from €3.30/kg to €3.50/kg, with lambs with a good cover of flesh in cases hitting €3.70/kg.
At the other end of the quality spectrum, there are some poorer-quality hill-type lambs selling back to €3/kg and lower, but better-quality Scottish Blackface lambs with an average cover of flesh are selling steadily at €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg.
The cull ewe trade is unchanged and again there is variation in sale reports. Some marts are reporting heavy fleshed ewes selling on average from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, while others are reporting challenges in exceeding a price of €2.20/kg.
There is also a 10c/kg to 15c/kg differential between good-quality lowland ewes and fleshed crossbred ewes, with more buyers active for better-quality ewes and willing to pay above factory price.
Ewes with an average cover of flesh are selling around €1.85/kg to €2/kg, with those shy of flesh cover from €1.50/kg to €1.60/kg and back to €1/kg for poorer-quality lots.
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