The mart trade is flying, with the trade for slaughter-fit lambs and store lambs booming.

Factory agents are keen to source lambs to compensate for tighter supplies in the market, but are being met by firm competition from butchers and wholesalers. Prices have increased anywhere from €2 to €5 per head on the week.

Good-quality fleshed lowland lambs weighing in excess of 50kg are trading upwards of €120 and rising in general to €124-€125 for lots weighing 53kg or 54kg. Heavier types, top-quality butcher-type lambs and ewe lambs with breeding potential are exceeding this range and selling to as high as €130 on rare occasions.

The higher prices are attracting higher numbers out than previous weeks, but throughput in many sales centres is still running behind the corresponding period in 2019.

There is firm demand for fleshed lambs weighing 47kg to 49kg, with factory agents in cases looking to source lighter-carcase sheep and willing to pay €114 to €120 or higher in cases for nicely fleshed lambs that will not kill overweight.

Forward stores in the 41kg to 44kg weight bracket are trading from €102 to €105 for plainer-quality lots and as high as €110 to €114 for lambs with a good cover of flesh.

Lighter lowland stores weighing 36kg to 39kg are selling from €95 upwards for well-presented tight-woolled lambs to as high as €105 to €110 for top-quality lots, with ewe lambs with breeding potential still capable of securing a premium on price.

Light Scotch lambs are selling from €2/kg to €2.20/kg for plainer and poorer-quality types, with well-grown lambs capable of selling to €2.50/kg to €2.60.

The cull ewe trade is largely unchanged, with entries remaining low. Large-framed fleshed ewes are easily exceeding the €100 mark and selling to a top of €125 to €130 on average. Select lots of purebred or excellent-quality ewes are topping this price range. Feeding ewes are trading from €85 to €100 for lots capable of doing a quick thrive and carrying weight, back to €70 to €75 for crossbred types lacking flesh.