The sheep trade remains vibrant, with prices lifting by 15c/kg to 20c/kg since last week.

Moyvalley Meats is the first to hit €6.00/kg with its hogget quote, while Kildare Chilling and Kepak Athleague have both lifted base quotes by 20c/kg to reach €5.90/kg. All other plants have lifted their base quote to €5.80/kg.

The majority of this increase occurred at the end of last week and over the weekend, with prices steadying somewhat in the last two days.

A high percentage of sellers are securing prices of €5.95/kg to €6.05/kg, with those handling large numbers and possessing strong negotiating power securing a top price of €6.10/kg to €6.15/kg.

Some producers are digging in for allowances on carcase weight over 23kg. Plants are slow to increase limits and while some have paid up to 23.5kg carcase weight, they remain reluctant to lift to 24kg.

At €7/kg, Moyvalley Meats is the only plant to give an official quote for spring lamb.

Other plants are handling small numbers and, while not quoting, are actively sourcing lambs to meet orders and are reported as paying €6.90/kg to €7.00/kg.

IFA sheep chair Sean Dennehy reports some sellers negotiating a price of €150/head for heavy, fleshed spring lambs.

Numbers are small and, in many cases, the spring lamb kill is being confined to a particular day or select days in the week. Demand is expected to rise in advance of orders for the Easter market.

The same case goes for filling orders for milk lambs, with factories returning to suppliers from previous years and paying €8/kg to a maximum carcase weight of 13kg or 14kg.

This suits some producers contending with low grass supplies and high feed costs.

Imports of sheep from Northern Ireland for direct slaughter remain steady.

Plants have also increased quotes by 20p/kg to £5.00/kg. This is the equivalent of €5.64/kg at an exchange rate of 88.6p to the euro or €5.95/kg when VAT at 5.4% is factored into the equation.

Plants are paying regular suppliers 5p/kg to 15p/kg higher to secure deals and to ward off interest from agents sourcing sheep for southern plants.

British hogget prices also continue to creep upwards on the back of tight supplies and strong market demand.

The AHDB reports last week’s average price for R3L lambs at £5.10/kg (€6.07/kg), with prices continuing to creep upwards by 5p/kg to 10p/kg this week.

The ewe trade has not followed the same upward intensity as hoggets.

Quotes have increased by 10c/kg in the last week and range from €3.00/kg to €3.10/kg. Prices secured range from €3.10/kg to €3.25/kg, with the mart remaining a good sales outlet for heavy ewes.

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