Sheep Trends: more plants cut to 23kg carcase

Farmer frustration over carcase weight cuts has grown, with the majority of plants following Irish Country Meats (ICM) and reducing their hogget carcase weight limit by another 0.5kg to 23kg.

The move has been introduced in a phased or staggered basis in some plants which are paying regular sellers or groups to 23.5kg up to mid-week or all this week, before moving their official quote to 23kg.

Farmers have criticised the pace at which cuts have been introduced, describing it as a backdoor cut to the value of hoggets.

Quotes remain unchanged, with the two ICM plants and Ballon Meats the only plants officially quoting. ICM is quoting a base of €8.80/kg plus its 20c/kg quality assurance payment.

This leaves groups working the plants securing €9.10/kg for hoggets.

Other plants are reported as trying curtail top prices to €9/kg, but have paid €9.10/kg to regular sellers or for large batches of in-spec hoggets given the greater focus on weight.

Factory agents are also more reluctant to quote for hoggets beyond one to two days in advance.

Factories have been helped in their efforts by numbers coming on stream playing to their favour. Last week’s throughput was recorded at 48,744 head, which represents an increase of 4,653 head on the previous week.

The kill comprises 44,617 hoggets and 4,214 ewes and rams.

The kill is still a fraction of the level of throughput recorded for the Islamic festival of Ramadan in 2024, where throughput was recorded in excess of 60,000 head for two weeks.

Demand for ewes is being helped by the relatively tight supply.

Ballon Meats has added another 10c/kg to its quote this week, leaving it at €5.50/kg. This is 50c/kg above the main processing plants which are now all typically opening negotiations at a price of €5/kg.

Regular sellers and those handling batches of good-quality ewes are securing returns of €5.10/kg to €5.20/kg.

Farmers should continue to compare the live and dead trade and also establish carcase weights limits, which vary from 43kg to 46kg in the main, with some plants willing to pay higher to 50kg or thereabouts where a small percentage of the batch kill at a higher carcase weight.

Northern trade

A 10p/kg differential has opened between quotes in factories in Northern Ireland.

Dunbia continues to quote a base of £7.05/kg (€8.42/kg), while Linden Foods has dropped under £7/kg to £6.95/kg (€8.30/kg).

Plants continue to pay 10p/kg to 15p/kg above base quotes to regular sellers and groups with carcase weights payable to 23kg.

The number of sheep exported from Northern Ireland for direct slaughter in plants in Ireland increased by a further 400 head last week to 7,735.