Marts have entered peak trading with a sharp rise in store lamb entries and breeding sales gaining momentum.

Breeding sales have started with some variability and a wide differential in price.

Good-quality hoggets are selling from €150 to €175, with top-quality lots rising to €190 to €200 per head and plainer quality types falling back to €135 to €140.

Demand is reported as mixed with some mart managers reporting farmers delaying purchasing breeding hoggets for a few weeks, with lamb finishing dates running behind previous years.

This is characterised by the weekly lamb kill running 11,000 head behind the same week in 2015. Store lamb entries continue to be met by keen competition from existing and new customers.