Sheep prices are solid, with factories keen for hoggets and lambs, but reluctant to increase prices paid.

Base quotes remain in the region of €8.80/kg, leaving prices offered in the region of €8.90/kg to €9/kg, including quality assured payments.

Groups and regular sellers are being paid in the region of €9/kg to €9.10/kg, with top prices rising to €9.20/kg or the equivalent of this when allowances on transport costs are taken into account.

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The majority of deals are to 23kg carcase weight, although there are sellers with greater negotiating power being paid to 23.5kg carcase weight.

These weight allowances appear to be just on the table to secure deals in the run-up to Easter, with some agents trying to condition sellers to weight allowances being potentially reduced again to 23kg.

This will depend on numbers in the market, with all forecasts pointing to numbers remaining tight. Some plants are front-loading activity to the start of the week, with a lower kill or no kill planned on Friday.

Spring lambs

Factories are exhibiting variable appetite for spring lambs. At the top end of the market, prices of upwards of €10/kg are being paid to 21kg carcase weight.

Other plants are offering a lower price of €9.70/kg to €9.80/kg and at a lower carcase weight of 20kg to 20.5kg. Sellers should assess all outlets to ensure they are getting the maximum return for their produce.

Cull ewes are firm, with the live trade possibly continuing to edge out the dead trade. This is particularly true of heavy carcase ewes which may be deemed overweight in factories.

There is also significant variation between plants, with quotes varying by as much as 50c/kg and ranging from €5/kg to upwards of €5.50/kg.

Northern Ireland

The trade in Northern Ireland is strong, with buyers continuing to enjoy a firm appetite on three fronts – plants purchasing for slaughter in Northern Ireland, agents purchasing for direct slaughter in Ireland and agents purchasing sheep to export live either for direct slaughter or live sale in Britain.

Base quotes for hoggets remain in the region of £8.10/kg (€9.34/kg), with regular sellers commanding 10p/kg higher to ward off interest from buyers purchasing for export to Britain and Ireland.

It is also clear that agents exporting to Ireland and Britain are being well looked after, with the Northern Ireland hogget prices trending above the price in Ireland.