Last Monday’s sheep sale at Fermoy Mart saw a good entry of 500 sheep on offer.

Mart manager Sean Leahy said that the trade was particularly strong once again, with factory buyers very active for all good-quality well-fleshed lambs.

Sean said that, in many cases, slaughter-fit lambs were selling for more than what they might make in the factory.

Sean urged farmers to look at both the live trade and the factory price before choosing whether to sell live or to slaughter fit lambs.

He added that, in the past few weeks, on a price-per-head basis, those farmers selling through the mart have been doing slightly better than those sending lambs for direct slaughter.

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 51.5kg sold for €144 (€2.80/kg).

These Suffolk-cross lambs weighing 50.5kg sold for €140 (€2.77/kg).

These Texel lambs weighing 45kg sold for €139 (€3.09/kg).

This mixed pen of Cheviot-cross and Vendéen-cross lambs weighing 45.6kg sold for €127 (€2.79/kg).

These fleshed Texel lambs weighing 42.8kg sold for €129 (€3.01/kg).

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 40.9kg sold for €115 (€2.81/kg).

These good-quality Texel lambs weighing 38.6kg sold for €118 (€3.06/kg).

These Scotch hogget wethers weighing 50kg sold for €111 (€2.22/kg).

These light-framed Suffolk cull ewes sold for €109.

These cull ewes sold for €132.

These large-framed cull ewes with a good cover of flesh sold for €151.

These Suffolk-cross lambs weighing 51.5kg sold for €140 (€2.72/kg).

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 46.8kg sold for €140 (€2.99/kg).

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 48kg sold for €140 (€2.92/kg).

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 42.5kg sold for €121 (€2.85/kg).

These Charollais lambs weighing 49.8kg sold for €143 (€2.87/kg).

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 47kg sold for €137 (€2.92/kg).

These Vendéen-cross lambs weighing 42kg sold for €124 (€2.95/kg).

These Charollais-cross lambs weighing 49.5kg sold for €138 (€2.79/kg).

Strong butcher demand drove the prices for heavy types, with hoggets and heavy lambs selling to a top of €150/head, while those from 48kg sold from €140/head and upwards. Lambs from 41kg to 42kg sold mainly from €120 to €130/head.

Sean said that even light lambs were coming into good money. There were a good few light lambs on offer and many weighing around 38kg were selling from €100 to €110/head.

While there is added value for some farmers in feeding these on to slaughter weight, where farmers were highly stocked selling light may be a good alternative to increased supplementation.

At these prices, even light lambs were making as much as finished lambs were at the same stage last year.

In terms of the cull ewe trade, Sean said that there was very strong demand once again for all good-quality fleshed ewes.

Wholesalers and factory agents were the main buyers of all slaughter-fit fleshed ewes.

At the top of the market, Sean said that prices hit a top of €151 for top-quality heavy cull ewes.

The majority of fleshed cull ewes sold from €110 to €135/head, with plenty getting into the €140/head mark also.

Even at the lower end of the market, very few ewes sold for less than €100/head. Sean said the cull ewe trade has been lively in recent weeks and has attracted higher numbers forward. Monday’s entry were all purchased for slaughter.

Commission rates are an entry fee of 60c/head and 1.33% to the buyer and seller with a minimum charge of €1.60/head.

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