There is no signs of ringing in any new year’s prices, with the sheep trade stuck in gear.

Base quotes remain at €7.60/kg in the main export plants or an opening price of €7.70/kg to €7.80/kg for quality assured (QA) lambs.

Factories are exhibiting a mediocre appetite for lambs, with most still slaughtering well below capacity.

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There has been a slightly keener appetite shown in places by some agents, but this has only really extended to accepting more lambs with no significant budge in prices paid.

Groups and regular sellers are trading from €7.80/kg to €7.90/kg. There are some deals being completed at €8/kg, but this is confined to sellers trading at the top end of the market.

Factories have utilised lambs from such suppliers over the last week to keep the kill ticking along while dealing with a lower number of suppliers.

The trade is in sharp contrast to the corresponding period in 2024.

Prices entered 2025 with a 10c/kg firming in quotes, with plants keen to handle much higher numbers.

This occurred on the back of prices rising by upwards of 70c/kg to 80c/kg during December 2024 and finishing the year on a base of €8.60/kg, some €1/kg above current prices.

Last week’s throughput was recorded at just 35,462 head, over 4,000 head lower than the previous week.

With the corresponding kill in 2024 recorded in excess of 60,000 head, it leaves throughput for 2025 finishing the year at over 450,000 fewer sheep slaughtered.

Ewe trade

The ewe trade is also sluggish, with opening quotes in the region of €4.30/kg.

There are some sellers receiving returns of €4.40/kg to €4.50/kg for large numbers.

Reports indicate that ewe numbers in the market are relatively tight, with many farmers opting at this stage to delay drafting and record a higher ewe number on their annual sheep census (31 December).

Prices in abattoirs or wholesalers specialising in the ewe trade remain well ahead of the going rate in factories, with upwards of €5/kg being paid for choice ewes.

Northern Ireland

The trade in Northern Ireland is also unchanged. Base quotes remain at £6.30/kg or the equivalent of €7.23/kg at an exchange rate of 87.1p to the euro.

Groups and regular sellers are being paid 10p/kg to 15p/kg higher, with top prices rising to £6.45/kg (€7.40/kg) and on occasion to £6.50/kg (€7.46/kg) for sellers handling large numbers.

The latest import and export figures reported by DAERA showed an increase of over 1,500 head in the number of sheep exported to Ireland (4,434), while numbers exported to Britain reduced by about 500 head to about 1,200. Numbers moving to farms/sales in Britain are reported in arrears.

Prices in Britain are steady to firmer in cases.

The latest Agriculture Horticulture Development Board price report for 20 December showed prices averaging £7.01/kg (€8.03/kg).