The regional price variation which emerged prior to Christmas between marts in the southeast of the country and those in the west and midlands remains.

Marts in the southeast with a strong wholesale or butcher trade are recording €3 to €5/head higher prices than marts in the west and midlands, where the trade is broadly reliant on factory agents.

As such, top prices reported in the southeast are in the region of €180 to €187 for heavier lambs weighing upwards of 52kg, with some choice lots exceeding the €190 mark.

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This is in contrast with other regions, where the general run of prices for such lambs is in the region of €176 to €180, with only choice lots climbing above this price range.

The differential in price is also seen as you progress down through weight categories for slaughter-fit lambs.

Lambs weighing from 47kg to 49kg are trading in the southeast from the mid-€160s to high-€170s depending on condition, while in other areas, a range of €160 to €170 is covering a large volume.

The store lamb trade is broadly unchanged. Good-quality lowland lambs are selling in the main from €3.30/kg to €3.60/kg, with some choice lots hitting €3.70/kg to €3.80.

Plainer-quality lambs continue to trade back to €3/kg, with small numbers of poor-quality or stunted lambs falling below the €3/kg mark.

Cull ewes

The cull ewe trade has started 2026 in a brighter trend. Reports indicate the number of ewes coming on to the market over Christmas was low, which depleted numbers held by agents or sellers active in the ewe trade.

Some mart managers have reported prices this week firming by upwards of €10 per head, with others witnessing prices rising by an average of €15-plus per head.

Good-quality cull ewes weighing 80kg to 95kg are trading from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg in the main, with certain lots hitting €2.50/kg or higher.

Demand is also firm for lighter and feeding types, with prices easily topping €2/kg and ranging anywhere from €2.10/kg to €2.40/kg depending on competition.