Sheep price update: Dawn increases quality assurance payment by 10c/kg

Dawn Meats has introduced a new payment system for hoggets and lambs.

The plants in Ballyhaunis and Kildare have increased their quality assurance (QA) payment from 10c/kg to 20c/kg.

This puts them in line with the 20c/kg QA payment offered by the two Irish Country Meats (ICM) factories.

Prices have taken another jump upwards, with base quotes for Tuesday increasing by 30c/kg to 40c/kg.

Dawn Kildare is topping the quotes with its base of €9.40/kg plus 20c/kg QA payment, while the two ICM plants are offering a base of €9.30/kg plus their 20c/kg QA payment.

Large batches

The general run of prices is in the region of €9.50/kg to €9.70/kg, with prices at the top end of the market rising to upwards of €9.80/kg for large batches of hoggets.

The majority of deals are being negotiated to 23.5kg carcase weight, with some deals to 24kg. This is mostly confined to agents and regular sellers handling very large numbers.

Lamb trade

The trade for lambs is largely unchanged. Dawn Kildare is offering a base of €9.90/kg plus 20c/kg QA, while ICM is quoting €9.80/kg plus 20c/kg.

Payment terms are to 21kg carcase weight in the main, with some sellers with heavier lambs trying to get paid hogget terms for lambs killing to 23kg carcase weight.