The highlight of Monday evening’s sheep sale in Kingscourt Mart in Co Cavan was the trade for lambs weighing in the region of 38kg to 42kg. Factory agents and butchers are extremely anxious for slaughter-fit lambs. The number of heavier lambs coming on stream is not satisfying demand, leading to factories dropping down in the weights for lambs with a good cover of flesh.
Lambs weighing 40kg to 42kg and possessing a nice cover of flesh ranged in price from €97 to €104 on average, with top-quality lots selling to €108 to €110. Lambs weighing back to 38kg were snapped up by agents, but they met opposition from a higher number of farmers looking to purchase store lambs.
This resulted in lambs weighing 38kg upwards selling anywhere from €90 to €103 depending on quality. Heavier lambs weighing 43kg to 46kg sold on average from €108 to €115, with select lots higher.
Lighter stores weighing 34kg to 37kg were also a sharp trade, with prices for good-quality lots ranging from €2.35/kg to €2.60/kg liveweight.
Farmers have kept lambs moving to take advantage of prices on offer and this is reducing the number of heavier lambs that would otherwise be offered. Lots weighing upwards of 50kg sold to €123.
The cull ewe trade is solid with fleshed ewes selling from €90 to €115 for medium-sized lots. Feeding lowland-type ewes sold from €70 to €90, with some Scotch ewes selling from €60 upwards.