There is more life in the trade for both hoggets and spring lambs this week, with quotes increasing on both fronts by 20c/kg on last week’s level. Factory agents appear keen for spring lambs, with all plants quoting this week.
There is more life in the trade for both hoggets and spring lambs this week, with quotes increasing on both fronts by 20c/kg on last week’s level.
Factory agents appear keen for spring lambs, with all plants quoting this week.
The two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants in Camolin and Navan were the first out of the traps in recent weeks in offering a quote for lambs.
Their base quote for Thursday is up 20c/kg to a base of €9.40/kg plus the plants’ 20c/kg quality assurance payment.
Kildare Chilling has resumed its official quote and is offering a base price of €9.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA payment to 20.5kg carcase weight.
Reports indicate Dawn Meats’ plant in Ballyhaunis and Kepak Athleague are also operating at a similar opening quote of €9.60/kg to €9.70/kg.
Groups and regular sellers will see top prices rise to €9.70/kg to €9.80/kg when producer or conformation bonuses are factored in.
Reports indicate that demand is low relative to hoggets, but so too is supply and this is inserting a strong floor under the trade.
Some plants are said to be keen to get their hands on lambs in the coming days, while Kepak is also said to be in the market for milk lambs of up to 14kg carcase weight.
Easter demand is also inserting more life into the hogget trade, with quotes up 20c/kg. The two ICM plants are offering a base price of €8.90/kg plus 20c/kg QA, while Kildare Chilling is quoting €8.90/kg plus 10c/kg QA.
Regular sellers and groups are securing €9.20/kg, with prices at the top end of the market rising to €9.30/kg.
Factories are holding firm in their official stance on carcase weight at 23kg, but more regular sellers and producers with strong negotiating power have secured payment to 23.5kg.
Agents are holding tight to this weight and refusing to revert to 24kg carcase weight.
The cull ewe trade has jumped, with official quotes rising by 40c/kg to 50c/kg.
The two ICM plants have increased their ewe quote by 50c/kg to €5.50/kg, with Kildare Chilling on a similar quote for R grading QA ewes and 10c/kg higher for U grades.
Ballon Meats remains in pole position with its quote of €5.70/kg, with regular sellers securing returns of upwards of €6/kg.
Buyers purchasing ewes for exporting are also more active in recent days.
Northern Ireland
Quotes in Northern Ireland have also increased by 20p/kg to £7.10/kg (€8.48/kg).
Groups are securing 10p/kg to 15p/kg higher, with regular sellers paid upwards of 20p/kg extra to ward off keen competition from buyers purchasing sheep for export to Ireland, Britain and further afield.
The number of sheep exported to Ireland for direct slaughter last week increased by 1,800 head to 7,201. Reports indicate that numbers of sheep exported to Britain also increased to over 1,500 head, with ewes particularly sought after.
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