There is significant variation in factory lamb prices this week.

Kildare Chilling was the only plant to raise quotes earlier in the week, with its base quote of €6.40/kg plus 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) payment up 10c/kg.

In contrast, competing plants were offering base quotes ranging from €6.10/kg to €6.25/kg or prices of €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg for QA lambs.

However, reports show that prices paid to sellers trading through producer groups and to those handling significant numbers and possessing greater negotiating power were much higher in many cases.

Prices paid at the higher end of the market ranged from €6.60/kg to upwards of €6.70/kg, opening up a differential of 20c/kg to 30c/kg.

The higher prices were typically being paid for quality assured lambs delivered to tight specification, with all factories on the hunt for fleshed, quality assured sheep.

This is also evident in mart sales, where there is also a tightness in supplies of top-quality lambs.

Plants quoting a lower base price have since narrowed the differential, with the two ICM plants, for example, quoting a base of €6.25/kg plus their 20c/kg QA payment for Thursday.

Last week’s sheep kill was recorded at 51,164 head. It is not fair to compare it with the previous week’s kill of over 58,000 head with one day’s less processing.

Comparing it with the corresponding week in 2022 shows a reduction of over 2,800 sheep.

This shortfall can be partly attributed to lower imports of sheep from Northern Ireland for direct slaughter.

The number of sheep imported was recorded at 5,800, about 3,000 sheep lower than the previous week.

It should be noted that numbers moved in the previous week were about 1,500 head higher than normal, with some producers fearing factory strikes in Northern Ireland would also limit numbers travelling south for direct slaughter.

Northern Ireland

Plants in Northern Ireland are back processing following last week’s strike action.

With a backlog of sheep in the system, quotes are unchanged, with plants offering an opening price of £5.25/kg (€6.05/kg), but 5p/kg to 10p/kg higher is reported.

Reports indicate plants are keen to maximise throughput, but are having to balance numbers with their beef kill, with processing at an important stage for filling contracts for the Christmas trade.

Ewe trade

The ewe trade is largely unchanged. Quotes in the main lamb processing plants continue to range from €2.70/kg to €3/kg, with plants or abattoirs specialising in ewes paying €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg and higher in cases.

The mart trade is subdued, but it is still worth producers with heavy, quality ewes weighing up their options on selling live or dead and checking paid carcase weight limits.