The sheep trade has well and truly stagnated with factories exhibiting a lukewarm appetite for sheep.

Combined with reports of slightly more lambs coming on stream in recent days, this is leading to a subdued trade, with some groups and sellers facing delays in getting lambs booked in for slaughter ahead of next week’s shorter week of two days of processing.

While on the topic, most plants will operate as normal on Monday, with some doing a smaller kill on Tuesday.

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Plants will resume processing on Monday 29 December and be closed for just one day that week on Thursday 1 January.

Getting back to price, base quotes for Thursday are unchanged, but there is some resistance reported in negotiating prices at the top end of the market.

The two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants remain on a base of €7.60/kg plus ICM’s 20c/kg quality assurance (QA) payment.

Ballon Meats remains on €7.80/kg all-in, while Kildare Chilling is 10c/kg less at €7.60/kg plus 10c/kg QA.

Groups and regular sellers are trading in the main at €7.85/kg to €7.90/kg. Some sellers who were negotiating €8/kg in recent weeks report greater resistance this week in securing above €7.90/kg.

A price of €8/kg is being paid in cases, but with less frequency, with factories under less pressure to compete.

Last week’s sheep kill was recorded at 39,781, about 1,000 head higher than the corresponding week in 2024. The kill was just over 5,000 head lower year on year, with throughput for the year to date running 437,499 head or 18% lower.

Ewes comprised just 2,913 head of the kill. Demand for ewes is also sluggish, with the majority of plants operating in the region of €4.30/kg to €4.50/kg. There are some deals being completed at €4.60/kg, while, at the top end of the market, Ballon Meats continues to offer the highest quote of €5/kg.

Northern Ireland

Last week’s kill increased by 840 head to exceed 10,000 for the first time in 2025.

Exports to Britain were recorded at 1,720 head for direct slaughter, with no figure published under the breeding and production certificate.

The number of sheep exported to Ireland for direct slaughter reduced by about 600 head to 2,887, with some plants handling fewer sheep from Northern Ireland.

Base quotes for Thursday are up 10p/kg to £6.30/kg (€7.17/kg), while groups and regular sellers are being paid £6.40/kg. There are few reports of higher prices being paid, with factories holding the upper hand in negotiations.

The latest AHDB price report shows average prices reducing by 12.5p/kg to £7/kg (€7.94/kg). In contrast, prices across Europe have increased, with light Spanish lamb upwards of €11/kg while French lamb prices are approaching €10/kg.

Irish and UK returns compare poorly, with the average Irish price of £7.56/kg running 58c/kg lower than the corresponding week in 2024.