Small numbers of spring lamb are turning up at mart sales, despite the time of year.

“More and more farmers are lambing later now and I won’t expect a big number of spring lambs until the end of the month,” according to Roscommon Mart manager Maura Quigley.

Sales around the country were similar, with low numbers. The low numbers are helping to keep prices steady at least.

Spring lambs weighing 40kg to 45kg are selling for €108 to €116/head or €68 to €71 over the weight. Some heavier lots weighing up to 48kg are making prices up to €121/head. Lighter lambs weighing 37kg to 39kg are making €90 to €104/head.

Hogget numbers are tightening and feeders are now selling off the final bunch of finished hoggets. Factory hoggets weighing 48kg to 52kg are selling for €100 to €115/head. The large variation in price is directly related to flesh cover.

Some farmers selling good-quality ewe hoggets were delighted to receive a price premium of €5 to €10/head. Ewe hoggets weighing over 50kg were making €115 to €126/head this week. There is a trade for these one-year-old sheep now, as farmers who joined the Sheep Welfare Scheme are maintaining numbers to correspond with sheep census numbers from last December.

Cull ewes

After some slight price reductions last week, cull ewe prices have settled. Heavy fleshed ewes are selling for €110 to €125/head. Most medium-sized fleshed ewes are selling for €100 to €110/head. Lowland-bred feeding ewes are moving for €65 to €95/head.